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J.Health Sci., 50(3), 290-295, 2004
Characteristic of Size-Classified Airborne Particulates in Kobe, Japan
Takako Yamaguchi,* Chie Yamasaki, and Hiroyasu Yamazaki
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe-Gakuin University,
518 Arise, Ikawadani-cho, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2180, Japan
Airborne particulate samples were collected and
fractionated into five sizes (diameter of < 1.1, 1.1-2.0,
2.0-3.3, 3.3-7.0, > 7.0 mu m) with a high volume cascade
impactor. The size distribution of airborne particulates
was bimodal, having two peaks, coarse
(> 7.0 mu m) and fine (< 1.1 mu m), which accounted for approximately
29% and 42%, respectively. Inhalable particulates
accounted for approximately 50% of the total. The mass
percentages of these extracts were also similar to
airborne particulate concentrations. Eight authentic
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; fluoranthene,
pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[e]pyrene,
benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k] fluoranthene,
benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[ghi]pelyrene) were detected in airborne
particulates. The concentration of PAHs was
dependent on size, with the following order: airborne
particulates larger than
7.0 < 3.3-7.0 < 2.0-3.3 < 1.1-2.0 < smaller than
1.1 mu m. Almost all of the PAHs detected existed in fine airborne particulates smaller than
1.1 mu m. Ionic species in size-classified airborne
particulate were also investigated.
NH4+,
SO42- and K+ existed
in the fine particulates, whereas
NO3-, Cl- and
Na+ existed in the coarse particulates. It is likely that
SO42- and
NO3- were generated from the combustion of
fossil fuel and air, and Na+ and
Cl- from sea salt. Since
NO3- was generated from atmospheric
NO2, these concentrations were related to each other. The sampling
site is located near a highway, so the results suggested
that the main source of most fine particulates was car
exhaust, especially diesel exhaust.
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