caa a22 4500 606200282 CHVBK 20210128100943.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20151001xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10653-014-9662-z doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10653-014-9662-z Concentrations, particle-size distributions, and indoor/outdoor differences of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a middle school classroom in Xi'an, China [Elektronische Daten] [Hongmei Xu, Benjamin Guinot, Xinyi Niu, Junji Cao, Kin Ho, Zhuohui Zhao, Steven Ho, Suixin Liu] Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) attached to particulate matter can affect respiratory health, especially the health of children, but information on the air quality in schools is generally lacking. This study investigated the PAH concentrations in a naturally ventilated classroom in Xi'an, China, from 16 to 31 May 2012. Particulate PAH concentrations were measured for samples collected on five-stage cascade impactors deployed inside the classroom and outside. PM2.5-bound PAH concentrations were 53.2ngm−3 indoors and 72.9ngm−3 outdoors. PAHs attached to very fine particles (VFPs) accounted for ~70% of the total PAHs. The PAH concentrations indoors were affected by the students' activities, cleaning, and smoking, while outdoors, the main sources were motor vehicle emissions and contaminated road dust. Particle-bound PAHs infiltrated the classroom through open windows, but the activities of the students and staff were also associated with an increase of PAHs attached to particles larger than 1.0µm, most likely through resuspension. Cycles in the sources led to PAH concentrations 2-3 times higher on weekdays compared to weekends, both indoors and outdoors. PAH toxicity risks inside the classroom were substantially lower than those outdoors, and the highest risks were associated with VFPs. Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 2014 Aerosols nationallicence PAHs nationallicence School air quality nationallicence Indoor/outdoor ratio nationallicence Size distribution nationallicence Health risk nationallicence Xu Hongmei Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China aut Guinot Benjamin Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut Niu Xinyi Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut Cao Junji Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut Ho Kin School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China aut Zhao Zhuohui Department of Environmental Health, School of Publich Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China aut Ho Steven Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut Liu Suixin Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut Environmental Geochemistry and Health Springer Netherlands 37/5(2015-10-01), 861-873 0269-4042 37:5<861 2015 37 10653 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-014-9662-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-014-9662-z text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Xu Hongmei Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Guinot Benjamin Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Niu Xinyi Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Cao Junji Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Ho Kin School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Zhao Zhuohui Department of Environmental Health, School of Publich Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Ho Steven Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Liu Suixin Key Lab of Aerosol Chemistry and Physics, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Environmental Geochemistry and Health Springer Netherlands 37/5(2015-10-01), 861-873 0269-4042 37:5<861 2015 37 10653