The fate of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons （PAHs） residing in the atmosphere has received enormous attention in recent years due to their mutagenic and carcinogenic risks on human health. In this context, the stab...The fate of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons （PAHs） residing in the atmosphere has received enormous attention in recent years due to their mutagenic and carcinogenic risks on human health. In this context, the stability of pyrene （as a representative PAHs） on quartz, alumina, montmorillonite, kaolinite, humic acid and quartz coated with sorbed humic acid was investigated at controlled relative humidity （RH： i.e. 5% and 30%） without light irradiation in order to detect the presence of catalytic effect of mineral surface on PAHs decomposition. The stability of pyrene was found to depend strongly on the physicochemical properties of the substrates. Quartz showed a strong catalytic effect for the decomposition of pyrene even though it was coated with sorbed humic acid. Pyrene sorbed on montmorillonite and humic acid remained stable during the experimental period （i.e. 3 days）. Moisture in the experimental cell also affected the stability of pyrene in particular minerals. Especially, pyrene sorbed on alumina was rapidly decomposed at higher RH. However, there were almost no effect in the case of quartz, kaolinite and humic acid. Depending on the physicochemical properties of aerosols and RH, PAHs associated with minerals in the atmosphere would be decomposed and/or stably reside in the atmosphere.展开更多
文摘The fate of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons （PAHs） residing in the atmosphere has received enormous attention in recent years due to their mutagenic and carcinogenic risks on human health. In this context, the stability of pyrene （as a representative PAHs） on quartz, alumina, montmorillonite, kaolinite, humic acid and quartz coated with sorbed humic acid was investigated at controlled relative humidity （RH： i.e. 5% and 30%） without light irradiation in order to detect the presence of catalytic effect of mineral surface on PAHs decomposition. The stability of pyrene was found to depend strongly on the physicochemical properties of the substrates. Quartz showed a strong catalytic effect for the decomposition of pyrene even though it was coated with sorbed humic acid. Pyrene sorbed on montmorillonite and humic acid remained stable during the experimental period （i.e. 3 days）. Moisture in the experimental cell also affected the stability of pyrene in particular minerals. Especially, pyrene sorbed on alumina was rapidly decomposed at higher RH. However, there were almost no effect in the case of quartz, kaolinite and humic acid. Depending on the physicochemical properties of aerosols and RH, PAHs associated with minerals in the atmosphere would be decomposed and/or stably reside in the atmosphere.
