A method to detect nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) in the air has been developed using gas chromatography with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation source, coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-APCI-MS/MS). An attempt to create a GC method using negative chemical ionisation (NCI) and a high-resolution mass spectrometer, Orbitrap, (GC-NCI-MS) was made as well without success. Nitro-PAHs are a group of widespread contaminants considered as possible mutagens and carcinogens. They are formed from incomplete combustion of organic matter as well as secondary reactions between PAHs and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air. Three air samples (outdoor, in an air vent and indoor), both particulate and gaseous phase, collected in central Örebro during the spring were extracted and analysed for nitro-PAHs on GC-APCI-MS/MS and for PAHs on GC-MS in EI (electron ionisation) mode. Several studies have reported lower amounts of nitro-PAHs than PAHs in the air, which can be seen in this report as well. The levels of detected nitro-PAHs (1-nitronaphalene and 9-nitroanthracene) and PAHs (naphthalene, anthracene, fluoranthene and pyrene) in the different samples were 10.2-119 pg/m3 and 291-77700 pg/m3, respectively. Neither group of analytes were found in the particulate phase. The highest concentrations of both nitro-PAHs and PAHs were found indoors, suggesting that other sources than emissions from traffic are responsible.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen and oxygen (Nitro-PAHs and Oxy-PAHs) compose the class of compounds where a hetero atom of nitrogen and oxygen, respectively, is present in the constitution of the HPA. The inclusion of a heteroatom leads to increased mobility and increased toxicological potential. In this work were investigated adsorbent materials for removal of Nitro-PAH and Oxy-PAH from aqueous solutions. For this purpose, activated carbon (AC), polyurethane foam (PUF), quartz fiber (QF), high density polyethylene (PEHD), polytetrafluoroethylene Teflon (PTFE), Amberlite XAD-2 (XAD-2) and silica gel (Si), were evaluated as potential solid substrates, as well as its use as an alternative to XAD -2 for making personal samplers type lapel. Quinoline, 1-nitronaphthalene, Acridine, Phenazine, 2-nitrofluorene, 9-nitroanthracene and 1-nitropyrene were chosen as representatives of the class of compounds Nitro-PAHs. 2-naphthol, 2-hydroxyfluorene, Phenanthrene-9-carboxaldehyde, 9,10-anthraquinone, and 1-hydroxypyrene were chosen as representatives of the class of compounds Oxy-PAHs. The results were obtained by batch tests. For Nitro-PAHs, the adsorbents with the highest removal rates were: XAD-2 (100% removal on XAD-2, except for Quinoline - 80%) and activated carbon (around 90% for all reviews compounds). For Oxy-PAHs, the highest removal rates were provided by adsorbents: polyurethane foam and activated carbon, both with rates higher than 90% of removal. Due to the low solubility of the compounds, the presence of a co-solvent is required. The lowest temperature (20 ⁰C) favored the adsorption of the compounds. In general, both (Nitro-PAHs and Oxy-PAHs) classes have their removal influenced by increasing the concentration of the solute in solution. / Hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos nitrogenados e oxigenados (Nitro-HPAs e Oxi-HPAs) compõem a classe de compostos onde um heteroátomo de nitrogênio e oxigênio, respectivamente, esta presente na constituição do HPA. A inserção do heteroátomo acarreta numa maior mobilidade e aumento do potencial toxicológico. Neste trabalho foram investigados materiais adsorventes para a remoção de Nitro-HPAs e Oxi-HPAs a partir de soluções aquosas. Para isto, carvão ativado, espuma de poliuretano, fibra de quartzo, polietileno de alta densidade, politetrafluoretileno (teflon), Amberlite XAD-2 e sílica gel, foram avaliados como possíveis substratos sólidos. Quinolina, 1-nitronaftaleno, Acridina, Fenazina, 2-nitrofluoreno, 9-nitroantraceno e 1-nitropireno foram escolhidos como representantes à classe de compostos Nitro-HPAs. 2-naftol, 2-hidroxifluoreno, Fenantreno-9-carboxaldeído, 9,10-antraquinona e 1-hidroxipireno foram escolhidos como representantes à classe de compostos Oxi-HPAs. Os resultados foram obtidos através de ensaios em batelada. Para os Nitro-HPAs estudados, os adsorventes que apresentaram as maiores taxas de remoção foram: XAD-2 (100% de remoção em XAD-2, exceto pra Quinolina 80%) e carvão ativado (em torno de 90% para todos os compostos avaliados). Para os Oxi-HPAs estudados, as maiores taxas de remoção foram proporcionadas pelos adsorventes: espuma de poliuretano e carvão ativado, ambos com taxas de remoção superiores a 90%. Devido à baixa solubilidade dos compostos, a presença de um co-solvente se faz necessária. A temperatura mais baixa (20 ⁰C) favoreceu a adsorção dos compostos. De modo geral, ambas as classes (Nitro-HPAs e Oxi-HPAs) tem sua remoção influenciada pelo aumento da concentração do soluto em solução.

Os hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos nitrados (nitro-HPAs) são potencialmente genotóxicos, por isso existe um grande interesse na determinação analítica desses compostos no material particulado no ar. Os nitro-PAHs são emitidos diretamente para a atmosfera pela combustão incompleta ou podem ser formados in situ a partir dos HPAs precursores. Neste trabalho, são apresentados os resultados obtidos no desenvolvimento de um método de análise de nitro-HPAs (1-nitronaftaleno, 2-nitronaftaleno, 1-nitropireno, 2-nitropireno, 2-nitrofluoranteno, 3-nitrofluoranteno, 1,3-dinitropireno, 1,6- dinitropireno, 2-nitrofluoreno, 6-nitrocriseno, 7-nitrobenzo(a)antraceno, 9- nitroantraceno e 9-nitrofenantreno) por GCxGC. A separação destes compostos por GCxGC pode simplificar a etapa de pré-tratamento do extrato orgânico oriundo do material particulado no ar. A GCxGC promove a separação em duas colunas com mecanismos de separação diferentes, conectadas em série, o que resulta em uma capacidade de separação maior. O sistema GCxGC empregado neste trabalho possui um injetor com programação de temperatura (PTV), um modulador criogênico de dois jatos de CO2 líquido (Dual Jet) e um detector por ionização em chama (FID). A separação foi feita empregando a fase estacionária apolar 5% fenil polisilfenilene siloxano na primeira coluna (30 m / 0,25 mm / 0,25 µm) e a semipolar 14% cianopropilfenil polisiloxano na segunda coluna (1 m / 0,10 mm / 0,10 µm). Diferentes condições cromatográficas foram testadas, como: programação de temperatura no PTV, de 40-90ºC até 350ºC, com taxa de aquecimento de 2,2 e 14,5ºC/s; programação de temperatura no forno, de 40-90ºC até 300ºC, com taxa de aquecimento de 2, 2,5 e 3ºC/min; períodos de modulação de 3, 4 e 5s. O volume injetado foi 2µL, no modo splitless; a vazão do gás de arraste (He) foi constante e igual a 1 mL/min e o detector FID foi operado em 120 Hz. As larguras de pico medidas em 10% da altura variaram de 167 a 350ms para 1- nitronaftaleno e 6-nitrocriseno, respectivamente, e a capacidade de pico para o conjunto de colunas de separação usado foi estimada em cerca de 9800. Parâmetros de validação, tais como os limites de detecção (200 a 500 ng/mL) e de quantificação (650 a 1600 ng/mL) para alguns nitro-HPAs foram determinados. Para a quantificação, foram testados os métodos por padronização interna e externa, sendo que, através dos resultados deste trabalho, pode-se mostrar que a determinação de nitro-HPAs por GCxGC com o modulador empregado é possível se for feita através do método de padronização interna. O sistema GCxGC empregado causou dificuldades operacionais, principalmente na conexão das colunas e na modulação. Perdas de massa de analito foram detectadas nas análises por GCxGC, muito provavelmente causadas por uma conexão parcial das colunas. Isso poderia ser evitado se a conexão fosse feita pela fusão das colunas a um conector de vidro adequado a essa finalidade. Picos modulados divididos foram observados com frequência, o que comprometeu a precisão e exatidão dos resultados. A divisão dos picos ocorreu de modo aleatório dificultando a identificação da causa mais provável para a sua ocorrência. Cromatogramas GCxGC de extratos orgânicos não fracionados de particulados no ar, oriundos de queima direta de palha de cana-de-açúcar, de região afetada pela queima de cana-de-açúcar e de área urbana da cidade de São Paulo, mostraram a potencialidade do método / Nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) are potentially genotoxic, so there is a great interest in the analytical determination of these compounds in airborne particulate matter. The nitro-PAHs are emitted directly into the atmosphere by incomplete combustion or may be formed in situ from PAHs. In this work, results obtained from the development of an analytical method for nitro-PAHs by GCxGC are presented. The nitro-PAHs studied were: 1- nitronaphthalene, 2-nitronaphthalene, 1-nitropyrene, 2-nitropyrene, 2- nitrofluoranthene, 3-nitrofluoranthene, 1,3-dinitropyrene, 1,6-dinitropyrene, 2- nitrofluorene, 6-nitrochrysene, 7-nitrobenzo(a)anthracene, 9-nitroanthracene and 9- nitrophenanthrene. The separation of these compounds by GCxGC should simplify the pretreatment step of the airborne particulate organic extract. In GCxGC two capillary columns of different mechanisms of separation are coupled by an interface called modulator, which increase significantly the chromatographic resolution. The GCxGC system used in this work is equipped with a PTV injector, a dual-stage double jets CO2 cryogenic modulator and a flame ionization detector (FID). The separation was carried out using a nonpolar stationary phase 5% methyl phenyl polysiloxane in the first column (30 m / 0.25 mm / 0.25 µm) and a semipolar 14% cyanopropyl phenyl dimethyl polysiloxane in the second column. Different chromatographic conditions were tested: the PTV was programmed from 40-90ºC to 350ºC at 2.2 and 14.5ºC/s; the oven was programmed from 40-90ºC to 350ºC at 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0ºC/min; the modulation periods tested were 3, 4 and 5s. The injected volume was 2µL in splitless mode, the carrier gas (He) flow rate of 1 mL/min was constant and the FID detector was operated at 120 Hz. Validation parameters, such as the limit of detection (200 - 500 ng/mL) and quantitation (650 - 1600 ng/mL) were determined. For quantification, the internal and external standardization methods were tested, and through the results of this study, it can be shown that the determination of nitro-PAHs by GCxGC with the modulator used is possible if made by internal standardization method. The GCxGC system presented operational difficulties, particularly in the column connection and in the modulation zone. A partial connection of the columns resulted in mass loss of the analytes. The connection of the columns could be more effective if it was made by fusing the columns to a glass connector suitable for this purpose. Divided modulated peaks were frequently observed, which compromised the precision and accuracy of the results. The division of the peaks occurred randomly hindering the identification of the most likely cause for its occurrence. GCxGC chromatograms corresponding to unfractionated organic extracts of airborne particulate material from the sugarcane straw burning, from an area impacted by sugar cane burning emissions and from an urban area of São Paulo City showed the capability of the method.

Os hidrocarbonetos policíclicos aromáticos nitrados (nitro-HPAs) são potencialmente genotóxicos, por isso existe um grande interesse na determinação analítica desses compostos no material particulado no ar. Os nitro-PAHs são emitidos diretamente para a atmosfera pela combustão incompleta ou podem ser formados in situ a partir dos HPAs precursores. Neste trabalho, são apresentados os resultados obtidos no desenvolvimento de um método de análise de nitro-HPAs (1-nitronaftaleno, 2-nitronaftaleno, 1-nitropireno, 2-nitropireno, 2-nitrofluoranteno, 3-nitrofluoranteno, 1,3-dinitropireno, 1,6- dinitropireno, 2-nitrofluoreno, 6-nitrocriseno, 7-nitrobenzo(a)antraceno, 9- nitroantraceno e 9-nitrofenantreno) por GCxGC. A separação destes compostos por GCxGC pode simplificar a etapa de pré-tratamento do extrato orgânico oriundo do material particulado no ar. A GCxGC promove a separação em duas colunas com mecanismos de separação diferentes, conectadas em série, o que resulta em uma capacidade de separação maior. O sistema GCxGC empregado neste trabalho possui um injetor com programação de temperatura (PTV), um modulador criogênico de dois jatos de CO2 líquido (Dual Jet) e um detector por ionização em chama (FID). A separação foi feita empregando a fase estacionária apolar 5% fenil polisilfenilene siloxano na primeira coluna (30 m / 0,25 mm / 0,25 µm) e a semipolar 14% cianopropilfenil polisiloxano na segunda coluna (1 m / 0,10 mm / 0,10 µm). Diferentes condições cromatográficas foram testadas, como: programação de temperatura no PTV, de 40-90ºC até 350ºC, com taxa de aquecimento de 2,2 e 14,5ºC/s; programação de temperatura no forno, de 40-90ºC até 300ºC, com taxa de aquecimento de 2, 2,5 e 3ºC/min; períodos de modulação de 3, 4 e 5s. O volume injetado foi 2µL, no modo splitless; a vazão do gás de arraste (He) foi constante e igual a 1 mL/min e o detector FID foi operado em 120 Hz. As larguras de pico medidas em 10% da altura variaram de 167 a 350ms para 1- nitronaftaleno e 6-nitrocriseno, respectivamente, e a capacidade de pico para o conjunto de colunas de separação usado foi estimada em cerca de 9800. Parâmetros de validação, tais como os limites de detecção (200 a 500 ng/mL) e de quantificação (650 a 1600 ng/mL) para alguns nitro-HPAs foram determinados. Para a quantificação, foram testados os métodos por padronização interna e externa, sendo que, através dos resultados deste trabalho, pode-se mostrar que a determinação de nitro-HPAs por GCxGC com o modulador empregado é possível se for feita através do método de padronização interna. O sistema GCxGC empregado causou dificuldades operacionais, principalmente na conexão das colunas e na modulação. Perdas de massa de analito foram detectadas nas análises por GCxGC, muito provavelmente causadas por uma conexão parcial das colunas. Isso poderia ser evitado se a conexão fosse feita pela fusão das colunas a um conector de vidro adequado a essa finalidade. Picos modulados divididos foram observados com frequência, o que comprometeu a precisão e exatidão dos resultados. A divisão dos picos ocorreu de modo aleatório dificultando a identificação da causa mais provável para a sua ocorrência. Cromatogramas GCxGC de extratos orgânicos não fracionados de particulados no ar, oriundos de queima direta de palha de cana-de-açúcar, de região afetada pela queima de cana-de-açúcar e de área urbana da cidade de São Paulo, mostraram a potencialidade do método / Nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) are potentially genotoxic, so there is a great interest in the analytical determination of these compounds in airborne particulate matter. The nitro-PAHs are emitted directly into the atmosphere by incomplete combustion or may be formed in situ from PAHs. In this work, results obtained from the development of an analytical method for nitro-PAHs by GCxGC are presented. The nitro-PAHs studied were: 1- nitronaphthalene, 2-nitronaphthalene, 1-nitropyrene, 2-nitropyrene, 2- nitrofluoranthene, 3-nitrofluoranthene, 1,3-dinitropyrene, 1,6-dinitropyrene, 2- nitrofluorene, 6-nitrochrysene, 7-nitrobenzo(a)anthracene, 9-nitroanthracene and 9- nitrophenanthrene. The separation of these compounds by GCxGC should simplify the pretreatment step of the airborne particulate organic extract. In GCxGC two capillary columns of different mechanisms of separation are coupled by an interface called modulator, which increase significantly the chromatographic resolution. The GCxGC system used in this work is equipped with a PTV injector, a dual-stage double jets CO2 cryogenic modulator and a flame ionization detector (FID). The separation was carried out using a nonpolar stationary phase 5% methyl phenyl polysiloxane in the first column (30 m / 0.25 mm / 0.25 µm) and a semipolar 14% cyanopropyl phenyl dimethyl polysiloxane in the second column. Different chromatographic conditions were tested: the PTV was programmed from 40-90ºC to 350ºC at 2.2 and 14.5ºC/s; the oven was programmed from 40-90ºC to 350ºC at 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0ºC/min; the modulation periods tested were 3, 4 and 5s. The injected volume was 2µL in splitless mode, the carrier gas (He) flow rate of 1 mL/min was constant and the FID detector was operated at 120 Hz. Validation parameters, such as the limit of detection (200 - 500 ng/mL) and quantitation (650 - 1600 ng/mL) were determined. For quantification, the internal and external standardization methods were tested, and through the results of this study, it can be shown that the determination of nitro-PAHs by GCxGC with the modulator used is possible if made by internal standardization method. The GCxGC system presented operational difficulties, particularly in the column connection and in the modulation zone. A partial connection of the columns resulted in mass loss of the analytes. The connection of the columns could be more effective if it was made by fusing the columns to a glass connector suitable for this purpose. Divided modulated peaks were frequently observed, which compromised the precision and accuracy of the results. The division of the peaks occurred randomly hindering the identification of the most likely cause for its occurrence. GCxGC chromatograms corresponding to unfractionated organic extracts of airborne particulate material from the sugarcane straw burning, from an area impacted by sugar cane burning emissions and from an urban area of São Paulo City showed the capability of the method.

<p>Air pollutants pose a high risk for humans, and the environment, and this pollution is one of the major environmental problems facing modern society. Active air sampling is the technique that has been traditionally used to monitor nonpolar aromatic air pollutants. However, active high volume samplers (HiVols) require a power supply, maintenance and specialist operators, and the equipment is often expensive. Thus, there is a need to develop new, less complicated sampling techniques that can increase the monitoring frequency, the geographical distribution of the measurements, and the number of sites used in air monitoring programs. In the work underlying this thesis, the use of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as tools for monitoring gas phase concentrations of nonpolar aromatic compound was evaluated using the compound classes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkylated PAHs (alkyl-PAHs) and nitrated PAHs (nitro-PAHs) as test compounds. </p><p>High wind-speeds increased the uptake and release in SPMDs of PAHs and PCBs with log K_OA values > 7.9, demonstrating that the uptake of most nonpolar aromatic compounds is controlled by the boundary layer at the membrane-air interface. The use of a metal umbrella to shelter the SPMDs decreased the uptake of PAHs and PCBs by 38 and 55 percent, respectively, at high wind/turbulence, and thus reduced the wind effect. Further, the use of performance reference compounds (PRCs) to assess the site effect of wind on the uptake in SPMDs reduced the between-site differences to less than 50 percent from as much as three times differences in uptake of PCBs and PAHs. However, analytical interferences reduced the precision of some PRCs, showing the importance of using robust analytical quality control.</p><p>SPMDs were shown to be efficient samplers of gas phase nonpolar aromatic compounds, and were able to determine local, continental and indoor spatial distributions of PAHs, alkyl- PAHs and nitro-PAHs. In addition, the use of the SPMDs, which do not require electricity, made sampling possible at remote/rural areas where the infrastructure was limited. SPMDs were also used to determine the source of PAH pollution, and different approaches were discussed. Finally, SPMDs were used to estimate the importance of the gas phase exposure route to the uptake of PAHs in plants. The results demonstrate that SPMDs have several advantages compared with HiVols, including integrative capacity over long times, reduced costs, and no need of special operators, maintenance or power supply for sampling. However, calibration data of SPMDs in air are limited, and spatial differences are often only semi-quantitatively determined by comparing amounts and profiles in the SPMDs, which have limited their use in air monitoring programs. In future work, it is therefore important that SPMDs are properly sheltered, PRCs are used in the sampling protocols, and that calibrated sampling rate data, or the SPMD-air partition data, of specific compounds are further developed to make determination of time weighted average (TWA) concentrations possible.</p>

Air pollutants pose a high risk for humans, and the environment, and this pollution is one of the major environmental problems facing modern society. Active air sampling is the technique that has been traditionally used to monitor nonpolar aromatic air pollutants. However, active high volume samplers (HiVols) require a power supply, maintenance and specialist operators, and the equipment is often expensive. Thus, there is a need to develop new, less complicated sampling techniques that can increase the monitoring frequency, the geographical distribution of the measurements, and the number of sites used in air monitoring programs. In the work underlying this thesis, the use of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as tools for monitoring gas phase concentrations of nonpolar aromatic compound was evaluated using the compound classes polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), alkylated PAHs (alkyl-PAHs) and nitrated PAHs (nitro-PAHs) as test compounds. High wind-speeds increased the uptake and release in SPMDs of PAHs and PCBs with log KOA values &gt; 7.9, demonstrating that the uptake of most nonpolar aromatic compounds is controlled by the boundary layer at the membrane-air interface. The use of a metal umbrella to shelter the SPMDs decreased the uptake of PAHs and PCBs by 38 and 55 percent, respectively, at high wind/turbulence, and thus reduced the wind effect. Further, the use of performance reference compounds (PRCs) to assess the site effect of wind on the uptake in SPMDs reduced the between-site differences to less than 50 percent from as much as three times differences in uptake of PCBs and PAHs. However, analytical interferences reduced the precision of some PRCs, showing the importance of using robust analytical quality control. SPMDs were shown to be efficient samplers of gas phase nonpolar aromatic compounds, and were able to determine local, continental and indoor spatial distributions of PAHs, alkyl- PAHs and nitro-PAHs. In addition, the use of the SPMDs, which do not require electricity, made sampling possible at remote/rural areas where the infrastructure was limited. SPMDs were also used to determine the source of PAH pollution, and different approaches were discussed. Finally, SPMDs were used to estimate the importance of the gas phase exposure route to the uptake of PAHs in plants. The results demonstrate that SPMDs have several advantages compared with HiVols, including integrative capacity over long times, reduced costs, and no need of special operators, maintenance or power supply for sampling. However, calibration data of SPMDs in air are limited, and spatial differences are often only semi-quantitatively determined by comparing amounts and profiles in the SPMDs, which have limited their use in air monitoring programs. In future work, it is therefore important that SPMDs are properly sheltered, PRCs are used in the sampling protocols, and that calibrated sampling rate data, or the SPMD-air partition data, of specific compounds are further developed to make determination of time weighted average (TWA) concentrations possible.