Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions in diesel exhaust using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with programmed temperature vaporization and large volume injection

Diesel engines are significant sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds (PAHs) in urban atmospheres. These compounds are widely known for their carcinogenic potential and mutagenic properties. In this study, a method was developed for the analysis of 16 priorities PAHs using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) with programmable temperature vaporizer large volume injection (PTV–LVI), which allowed to be obtained detection limits below 2.0 ng mL−1. This method was evaluated in samples from stratified particulate matter and gas phase from the emissions of diesel vehicle employing diesel commercial S10 (sulfur 10 mg L−1) and B5 (biodiesel 5% v/v). A sampling system that does not employ exhaust products dilution was used to evaluate the PAHs gas-particle partition. Six PAHs were identified in extracts and gas-phase PAHs took percentage of 80% in the total PAHs emissions. The sampling system without dilution not caused a strong nucleation/condensation of the most volatile PAHs. PAHs size-particle distribution was found in higher levels in the accumulation mode.