Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment : a review of sampling techniques, strategies and instrumentation

Ahad, Jason M.E.; Macdonald, Robie W.; Parrott, Joanne L.; Yang, Zeyu; Zhang, Yifeng; Siddique, Tariq; Kuznetsova, Alsu; Rauert, Cassandra; Galarneau, Elisabeth; Studabaker, William B.; Evans, Marlene; McMaster, Mark E.; Shang, Dayue

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment : a review of sampling techniques, strategies and instrumentation

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dc.contributor.author: Ahad, Jason M.E.; Macdonald, Robie W.; Parrott, Joanne L.; Yang, Zeyu; Zhang, Yifeng; Siddique, Tariq; Kuznetsova, Alsu; Rauert, Cassandra; Galarneau, Elisabeth; Studabaker, William B.; Evans, Marlene; McMaster, Mark E.; Shang, Dayue
dc.date.accepted: 2020-06-05
dc.date.accessioned: 2025-07-08T15:37:36Z
dc.date.available: 2025-07-08T15:37:36Z
dc.date.issued: 2020-11
dc.date.submitted: 2020-02-18
dc.description.abstract - en: A wide variety of sampling techniques and strategies are needed to analyze polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and interpret their distributions in various environmental media (i.e., air, water, snow, soils, sediments, peat and biological material). In this review, we provide a summary of commonly employed sampling methods and strategies, as well as a discussion of routine and innovative approaches used to quantify and characterize PACs in frequently targeted environmental samples, with specific examples and applications in Canadian investigations. The pros and cons of different analytical techniques, including gas chromatography – flame ionization detection (GC-FID), GC low-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-LRMS), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet, fluorescence or MS detection, GC high-resolution MS (GC-HRMS) and compound-specific stable (δ13C, δ2H) and radiocarbon (Δ14C) isotope analysis are considered. Using as an example research carried out in Canada’s Athabasca oil sands region (AOSR), where alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur-containing dibenzothiophenes are frequently targeted, the need to move beyond the standard list of sixteen EPA priority PAHs and for adoption of an AOSR bitumen PAC reference standard are highlighted.
dc.identifier.doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114988
dc.identifier.issn: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
dc.identifier.uri: https://open-science.canada.ca/handle/123456789/3775
dc.language.iso: en
dc.publisher - en: Elsevier
dc.publisher - fr: Elsevier
dc.rights - en: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
dc.rights - fr: Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'utilisation commerciale - Pas de modification 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - en: Gold
dc.rights.openaccesslevel - fr: Or
dc.rights.uri - en: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.rights.uri - fr: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.fr
dc.subject - en: Oil sands; Methodology; Pollutants
dc.subject - fr: Sables bitumineux; Méthodologie; Polluant
dc.subject.en - en: Oil sands; Methodology; Pollutants
dc.subject.fr - fr: Sables bitumineux; Méthodologie; Polluant
dc.title - en: Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in the Canadian environment : a review of sampling techniques, strategies and instrumentation
dc.type - en: Article
dc.type - fr: Article
local.article.journalissue: Part 2
local.article.journaltitle - en: Environmental Pollution
local.article.journalvolume: 266
local.pagination: 17 pages
local.peerreview - en: Yes
local.peerreview - fr: Oui
local.requestdoi - en: No
local.requestdoi - fr: fosrc.item.edit.dynamic-field.values.request-doi.Non