İnce Atmosferi̇k Parti̇küllerde Yari Uçucu Organi̇kleri̇n Karakteri̇zasyonu
[Thesis]
Mertoğlu, Elif
Flores Rangel, Rosa Maria
Marmara Universitesi (Turkey)
2019
100 p.
Master's
Marmara Universitesi (Turkey)
2019
Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and n-alkanes are emitted from various incomplete combustion processes such as low quality fossil fuel, biomass burning, residential heating, ships, and aircraft. The study of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) is compulsory for investigation and evaluation of their effects of human health, climate, and the environment. After SVOCs are emitted to the atmosphere, they can be transported long distances by wind and then settle on the ground or water. As a result, the level of pollution on ground level reaches high values. In addition, organic aerosol has important impacts on climate change by directly altering solar radiation (i.e., scattering and absorption by aerosol components) and by changing properties and lifetime of clouds. Exposure to such particles can affect both lungs and heart. Fine particles may go through the lungs and reach the alveols. The respiratory system may be affected with asthma or lung cancer. In addition, there is high risk for heart attacks. Understanding the diurnal variation of SVOCs is necessary for clarification of sources, formation and transformation processes, and investigating the effects on health and climate. The main objective of this work is to do a preliminary assessment on organic composition of PM2.5 and to understand their variations with respect to various meteorological conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and wind direction. Changes in traffic density were also considered. In order to obtain this, approximately 301 high-volume and 42 low-volume PM2.5 samples were collected in Istanbul for six weeks with a Tisch PNY1123 high-volume sampler and a Zambelli low volume sampler, respectively. Concentrations of PAH and n- alkanes were determined with a thermal desorption gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer (TD-GCMS). Concentrations of SVOCs associated to PM2.5 were studied in Turkey for the first time. These results have important implications on both local and global levels.