Characteristic study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons for fine and coarse particulates at Pastureland near Industrial Park sampling site of central Taiwan

The concentrations of ambient air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in a farm area (Tunghai University Pastureland) between August 2001 and April 2002 in central Taiwan, Taichung. Particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were collected on quartz filters, the collected sample was extracted with a dichloromethane (DCM)/n-hexane mixture (50/50, v/v) for 24 h, and then the extracts were subjected to gas chromatography–mass spectrometric analysis. The PM2.5 (fine particulate) and PM2.5–10 (coarse particulate) total PAHs concentrations at the Tunghai University Pastureland sampling site were found to be 180.62 ng m−3 and 164.98 ng m−3, respectively. In general, the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were higher in spring and winter than those of summer and autumn for either PM2.5 or PM2.5–10 in Pastureland in central Taiwan. Moreover, coarse particulates are the dominant species during the dust storm season (March and April) in central Taiwan.