Seasonal Trends, Sources, and Health Impacts of PAH-Bound PM10 in Krakow Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic

The main objective of this research was to evaluate the seasonal variability of PM₁₀-bonded polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their sources and analyse their health impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic period.  PM₁₀samples were collected in Krakow in 2020-2021. The chemical composition of PM₁₀ in terms of the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was carried out using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. A total of 92 samples of particulate matter (PM₁₀ fraction) were analysed. The analyses contained 16 basic PAHs identified by the US EPA as the most harmful. Acenaphtene (Acn), Acenaphthylene (Acy), Anthracene (Ant), Benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F), Benzo[a]anthracene (B[a]A), Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), Benzo[ghi]perylene (B[ghi]P), Benzo[k]fluoranthene (B[k]F), Chrysene (Chry), Dibenzo[ah]anthracene (D[ah]A), Fluoranthene (Flt), Fluorene (Flu), Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (IP), Naphthalene (Nap), and Phenanthrene (Phen) and Pyrene (Pyr). The information obtained on the concentrations of PAHs was used to determine the profiles of pollution sources, exposure profiles, and the values of toxic equivalency factors recommended by the EPA: mutagenic equivalent to B [a] P (ang. mutagenic equivalent, MEQ), toxic equivalent to B[a]P (ang. toxic equivalent, TEQ) and carcinogenic equivalent to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodienzo-p-dioxin (ang. carcinogenic equivalent, CEQ). In addition, the air trajectory frequency analysis were performed to obtain information on the possibility of transporting pollutants from selected areas in the vicinity of the studied site. The analyses were performed using the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory's HYSPLIT model (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model) developed by the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Interpreting the trajectory results provided information on the nature of air pollution sources.

Acknowledgement: This research project was supported by the programme "Excellence Initiative – Research University" for the AGH University of Krakow, Poland [project no. 501.696.7996 L34,D.4,V ed.,wn. 10457