ABSTRACT
Organic compounds in atmospheric particulate matterabove Maribor were analysed in 120 samples of PM10 sampled according to the EN 12341:2014 reference method. Organic compounds compositions were investigated together with the primary and secondary sources of air pollution. Silylation as derivatisation method was used for the GC/MS determination of volatile and semi-volatile polar organic compounds. Distribution of fatty acids, n-alkanes and iso-alkanes, phthalate esters, siloxanes, different sterols, various sugars and sugar alcohols, compounds of lignin and resin acids, dicarboxylic acids from photochemical reactions, PAHs, organic nitrogen compounds and products from secondary oxidation of monoterpenes were determined. The use of silicone grease for the purpose of lubricating the impact surface of the air sampler caused higher values of gravimetric determination. Solid particles may have been bounced from the surface of a greasy impact plate and re-entrained within the air stream and then collected on a sample filter. The carryover of siloxanes was at least from 5% up to 15% of the accumulated particles weight, depending on ambient temperature. This was the reason that the gravimetric results for determination of PM10 according to the standard EN 12341:2014 were overestimated.
ABSTRACT
A GC-MS method was successfully applied to measure simultaneously the concentrations of endocrine disrupting compounds (5 dialkyl phthalates, 9 phthalate monoesters, 3 alkylphenols and bisphenol A) in 136 male urine samples. In the present study the method was validated and concentrations of EDCs were determined. The results were compared with results from other studies. Correlations between endocrine disrupting compounds and also correlations of endocrine disrupting compounds with two semen quality parameters are presented and evaluated. Significant positive correlations were found between almost all the endocrine disrupting compounds. The parameter sum of DEHP (SUM DEHP) was positively correlated to all the endocrine disrupting compounds but negatively to two semen quality parameters. Negative correlations between the endocrine disrupting compounds and the semen quality parameters could indicate that endocrine disrupting compounds could cause reproductive problems by decreasing the semen count and quality. This research will have helped to evaluate human exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds.
