Methods of investigating the content of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fine particles in the composition of fine particles polluting the ambient air (literature review)

Ambient air pollution is currently a global problem. The presence of various toxic compounds in ambient air, including metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with fine suspended particles, contributes to the development and increase in population morbidity.

The aim of the study. To conduct a review of up-to-date methods for determining levels of metals and PAHs in fine particles polluting ambient air, which are currently available in scientific reports.

The material for this review was represented by data from Russian and foreign scientific literature published in the abstract databases Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and eLIBRARY and devoted to investigating levels of metals and PAHs associated with fine particles in ambient air (twenty two reports).

Analysis of literary sources has shown that it is more efficient to use multi-cascade impactors for sampling metals and PAHs contained in different fractions of fine particles. To prepare a sample for analysis, a whole filter is usually used, which is subjected to acid decomposition or liquid extraction for analysis of metals and PAHs, respectively. As an analytical method, most studies use inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for metal analysis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection for PAH analysis.

Conclusion. Analysis of scientific and methodological literature has shown that it is effective to use multi-stage impactors for taking metal and PAH samples, which are parts of different fractions of fine-dispersed particles. Metals are analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry at the ng and µg level. PAHs are analyzed using gas chromatography with massspectrometric detection and found at the ng and µg level. However, the sampling time is 24 hours or more.

Contribution:
Nurislamova T.V., Zorina A.S. – research design and editing;
Zaitseva N.V. – concept and editing;
Krylov A.A., Zvereva L.A. – literature data collection and analysis, text writing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: April 3, 2025 / Revised: June 2, 2025 / Accepted: September 19, 2025 / Published: October 20, 2025

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