Seasonal variability of PAHs and nitro-PAHs concentrations in total suspended particulate matter in ambient air of cities of Silesian voivodeship

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in ambient air with their nitro-derivatives and hundreds of other organic compounds. PAHs and nitro-PAHs originate from Diesel and gasoline exhaust emission, and other sources of fuels combustion. These compounds are responsible for mutagenic activation of ambient air. Concentrations of PAHs, nitro-PAHs and dinitro-PAHs in total suspended particulate matter in air of Katowice, Sosnowiec and Zawiercie as well seasonal variability of their concentrations have been investigated. The method of solvent extraction of particulate matter, fractional organic extraction as well HPLC and GC/MS analyses were applied. Nitro-PAHs concentrations in ambient air in Poland are poorly researched, compared to foreign literature.