Seasonal variation and source apportionment of Oxygenated (OPAHs) and Nitrated (NPAHs) Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in PM2.5 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- 1National University of Mongolia, Department of Environmental and Forest Engineering, Mongolia
- 2Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Geochemistry, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- 3Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
- 4Department of Chemistry, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
- 5Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Graduate Program in System Health Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
Nitrogen and oxygen containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs and OPAHs) are the most dangerous substances for public health and are of increasing interest due to their high toxicity and oxidative properties. Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, has occasionally been considered the most polluted city in the world. The high emissions from various anthropogenic sources of pollutants coupled with unique weather and geographical conditions lead to the formation of haze over the city in winter. The main purpose of this study is to determine the concentration, main sources and seasonal changes of nitrogen and oxygen containing polycyclic aromatic compounds (Oxygenated PAHs and Nitro-PAHs) in atmospheric fine inhalable particulate matter (PM2.5) in Ulaanbaatar city and to compare it with other big cities in East Asia in order to define their risk to human health. Samples were taken in winter (December 2020 and January 2021) and summer (June 2021) and the concentration of 12 types of OPAHs and 8 types of NPAHs were analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). As a result, the mean concentration of OPAHs in atmospheric PM2.5 particles in Ulaanbaatar is 21.5 and 35.3 times higher than that in Seoul, Korea in winter and summer, respectively. While the concentration of NPAHs was 5.1 times higher in winter and 11.2 times higher in summer than that in Seoul. Major sources and their contributions of NPAHs and OPAHs in atmospheric PM2.5 in Ulaanbaatar were identified based on correlation analysis and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) modeling.
How to cite: Tseren-Ochir, S.-E., Erdenebat, I., Tumurbat, U., Lee, J. Y., Natsagdorj, A., and Kim, Y.: Seasonal variation and source apportionment of Oxygenated (OPAHs) and Nitrated (NPAHs) Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in PM2.5 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-16203, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-16203, 2023.
