| Summary: | Pollutants originating from industry such as gasoline, diesel engines contammg compound chemical components including potential carcinogens and domestic heating. Current studies established that airborne particulates particularly diesel exhaust particles constitute an essential health threat factor. Harmful effect of diesel exhaust particles comprises acute irritation of eyes and respiratory tracts, annoyance reaction and protracted diseases such as allergic nasal catarrh, cancer and asthma. However, an evaluation of urban air quality is intended to provide essential concentrations of atmosphere within the established levels. Therefore, this study provides information on the levels of PAH for air quality assessment in Jarash. The general objective of this study is to determine the levels of environmental pollution in Jordanian environment, particularly the PAH levels of air samples in Jarash, Northern part of Jordan. Air samples were collected at an urban (downtown of Jarash of North Jordan) site and a rural (8erqesh) site during February 2017 and March 2017 because this time is mix between two seasons (winter and spring), to determine the concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in air. P AH were sampled using high volume air samplers, at rooftop level (12 meter height). Extraction process was done using soxhler apparatus and methylene chloride as 01 cnr, Furthermore, the sample clean up step was performed using solid phase extraction. While, analysis of P AH samples were carried out using GC/MS and GC temperature program were started from 70°C to 310°C with a constant rate of 10°C Imin and a total run time of 27.0 minutes, then used A OVA statistical analysis to find difference between variance. Low molecular weight PAH has dominated all the samples, which includes acenaphthylene, fluorene, and anthracene, while high molecular weight PAH was not detected. The totals mean of PAH concentration in March 2017 at Urban Area (85 ng/m) is higher than that of February 2017 (48 ng/ml) and ANOVA analysis for PAHs samples in February and March 2017 in urban area shows positive result (P value<0.05). Also, PAH total mean concentration in day time is higher than in night time, also ANOV A analysis for PAHs samples in night time shows positive result but in day time has a negative result. Furthermore, total concentrations or PAH at Urban Area in day time (6 AM-6 PM) (125 ng/ml) was compared to the night time (l5.:00 PM-6:00 AM) (70 ng/ml). There is comparison especially from 4.00 PM to 8.30 ~ (686 ng/ml), and fromll.OO AM to 3.30 PM (422 ng/ml). In March 2017, recoveries vary between Acenaphthylene, Fluorene and Anthracene. The PAH concentrations at Urban Area were higher than those at Rural Area, due to the fact that large number of cars were passing through the Urban Area. PAH concentrations in March 2017 were higher than those in February 2017. There was a relationship between PAH concentrations and meteorological variables such as wind direction, wind speed and temperature. The highest average PAH concentration was found between 11.00 AM to 8.30 PM, due to low temperature, and decreasing photochemical reaction.
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