Concentration and sources of fine particulate associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at two locations in the western coast of India.

PM2.5 particulate matter (PM) and their associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied at Urban and Sub-urban sites in the western coast of India. The concentration of PM2.5 ranged from 66.29 μg m-3 to 182.15 μg m-3, being the highest at Sub-urban site than the urban site. There were total six carcinogenic PAHs found to be dominated in particulate samples at these locations. The general trends observed for individual carcinogenic PAHs concentration at urban location was, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)<benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkF)<benzo(ghi)perylene (BghiP)<benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF)<benzo(e)pyrene (BeP)<indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (I123P). Whereas, at Sub-urban location the concentration was found to be, (BaP) < (BkF) < (BeP) < (BghiP) < (I123P) < (BbF). PAHs diagnostic ratio and Principal component analysis was used to find out the main sources of PAHs. The results of PAHs diagnostic ratio and Principal component analysis revealed that vehicular emission of gasoline and diesel powered vehicles were the main source of individual PAHs at both the locations. BaP equivalent exposure (BaPeq) were calculated to find out the total carcinogenicity of PAHs at both sites, and the results revealed that the mean concentration of PAHs were found to be lower when their contributions to carcinogenicity were taken into account.