Determination of particle-associated hydroxynitropyrenes with correction for chemical degradation on a quartz fibre filter during high volume air sampling

A correction method for the determination of atmospheric monohydroxylated derivatives of 1-nitropyrene (hydroxy-1-nitropyrenes, OHNPs) based on their degradation rates during high volume air sampling was established. OHNPs adsorbed directly on a quartz fibre filter (QFF) or on airborne particles collected on a QFF were exposed to ambient air passively or actively in a high volume air sampling system. The influence of ozone flux and exposure time on the degree of degradation of OHNPs was investigated. Up to 50% of OHNPs degraded over 1 h of exposure to ambient air containing ～60 ppbv of ozone in the active system. The degradation rate constants of OHNPs were found to correlate with the number of ozone molecules passing through the QFF in a unit time (N_O3) during high volume air sampling. The chemical loss of OHNPs under high volume air sampling conditions was successfully evaluated by the exposure time and the pseudo-first-order rate constant for OHNP degradation estimated from the correlation with N_O3. Concentrations of 3-, 6-, and 8-hydroxy-1-nitropyrenes in airborne particles collected in Osaka, Japan were determined using the established correction method.