Atmospheric concentrations and dry deposition rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

Sampling of 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the Gandy Bridge monitoring site between May and August 2002 provided preliminary ambient air concentrations and dry deposition rates for Tampa Bay. The HiC-IOGAPS dramatically improved the recovery of lower molecular weight gas and particle PAHs, as evidenced by the recoveries of PAHs in back-up denuders and filter packs. Total PAH (gas+particle) concentrations ranged from 80 to 190 ng m−3. Concentrations of naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were consistently higher than concentrations of the remaining 10 PAHs. Assuming an unidirectional flux of these compounds from air to water, the estimated total (gas+particle) dry deposition flux was 11.5 μg m−2 d−1, or 6.7 μg m−2 d−1 if naphthalene is excluded.