Characteristics and Temporal Variations of PAHs in PM2.5 from an E-Waste Dismantling Area in Taizhou, China

Thirty-two PM_2.5 samples were collected in Taizhou, a city in southeast China famous for its e-waste recycling industry. The average concentration of PAHs in the samples near the e-waste dismantling area (FJ) was 133.7 ng m^-3, indicating that the atmosphere was heavily polluted. The concentrations PAHs were much higher in winter than in autumn and summer, and they were comprised mainly of species with 4-5 rings. High concentrations of 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene (Quaterphenyl, QP) were found at FJ, and significant correlation between QP and the total concentrations of PAHs was found at FJ but not at the comparing urban site. High concentration of QP indicated the important contribution of PAHs from burning of plastic/polymer, and should be characteristic for the fine particles from e-waste dismantling. Source identification with PAH ratios showed that petroleum and coal/biomass combustion were also important sources of the PAHs, and the contribution of coal/biomass burning was more important in winter than in summer. The results of diurnal variation of PAHs at F J in summer showed that the nighttime concentrations were obviously higher than those in the daytime, and emissions from uncontrolled illegal open burning of e-wastes during nighttime should be a reason.