Characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions in the particulate phase from burning incenses with various atomic hydrogen/carbon ratios Original Research Article

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the particulate phase generated from burning various incense was investigated by a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Among the used incenses, the atomic H/C ratio ranged from 0.51 to 1.69, yielding the emission factor ranges for total particulate mass and PAHs of 4.19–82.16 mg/g and 1.20–9.50 μg/g, respectively. The atomic H/C ratio of the incense was the key factor affecting particulate mass and the PAHs emission factors. Both the maximum emission factor and the slowest burning rate appear at the H/C ratio of 1.57. The concentrations of the four-ring PAHs predominated and the major species among the 16 PAHs were fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and chrysene for most incense types. The benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene accounted for 87.08–93.47% of the total toxic equivalency emission factor.