Use of a versatile high efficiency multiparallel denuder for the sampling of PAHs in ambient air: gas and particle phase concentrations, particle size distribution and artifact formation

The design and performance of a multiparallel plate denuder able to operate at low and high-flow (3–30 L/min) for the collection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) vapor is described. The denuder, in combination with a micro orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) was used to assess processes of artifact formation in MOUDIs used with and without an upstream denuder. Duplicate sampling trains with an upstream denuder showed good repeatability of the measured gas and particle-phase concentrations and low breakthrough in the denuder (3.5–15%). The PAH size distributions within undenuded and denuded MOUDIs were studied. Use of the denuder altered the measured size distribution of PAHs toward smaller sizes, but both denuded and undenuded systems are subject to sampling artifacts.