Particle- and gas-phase emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from two-stroke, 50-cm3 mopeds

The emissions of gas- and particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated in the exhaust of 10 mopeds (4 EURO-0, 4 EURO-1 and 2 EURO-2) equipped with two-stroke engines with displacement of 50 cm3. Sampling was performed on a dynamometer bench both during the “cold-start” and the “hot” phases of the ECE-47 driving cycle. Eighteen PAHs were quantified and total PAH emission factors (∑PAH) ranged from 1790 to 15,059 μg km−1. Expressed in benzo(a)pyrene equivalent (BaPeq), emission factors ranged 4.7–86.3 μg km−1. PAH emissions are reduced according to the legislation class: EURO-0>EURO-1>EURO-2. PAH emission factors were greater during the cold-start phase than the hot phase of the ECE-47 cycle. Results show that despite their small engine size, two-stroke mopeds can emit amounts of particulate PAHs comparable or even higher than PAH emissions reported elsewhere from gasoline- and diesel-powered passenger cars and light- and heavy-duty vehicles.