Polyaromatic hydrocarbon thin film layers on glass, dust, and polyurethane foam surfaces

Abstract

An investigation was conducted into the dynamic behavior of two polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) semi-volatile organic compound (SVOC) naphthalene (NAP) and benzo [ghi]perylene (BghiP) in air and on various surfaces including glass, dust, and polyurethane foam (PUF) to understand their interaction with different media. A confocal fluorescence microscope and an infrared microscope were employed to detect and monitor the con-centration-, time-, and temperature-dependent changes of the aromatic NAP and BghiP species on the surfaces. Infrared two-dimensional mapping of the vibrational characteristic peaks was used to track the two PAHs on the surfaces. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to measure the gaseous concentrations. The sorption of NAP and BghiP on the surfaces was estimated using Arizona desert sand fine (ISO 12103-1 A2) dust and organic contaminant household (SRM 2585) dust. The surface-to-air partition coefficients of NAP and BghiP were estimated on the different surfaces of glass, dust, and PUF. Molecular dynamic simulations were performed on dust surfaces based on the Hatcher model to understand the behavior of NAP and BghiP on dust surfaces. The Weschler-Nazaroff model was introduced to predictPAH film accumulation on the surfaces, providing a better understanding of PAH interaction with different environmental media. These findings could contribute to developing effective strategies to mitigate the adverse impact of PAHs on the environment and human health.