Siwatt Pongpiachan

Assessing risks to adults and preschool children posed by PM2.5-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during a biomass burning episode in Northern Thailand.

To investigate the potential cancer risk resulting from biomass burning, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) bound to fine particles (PM2.5) were assessed in nine administrative northern provinces (NNP) of Thailand, before (N-I) and after (N-II) a haze episode. The average values of Σ 3,4-ring PAHs and B[a] P Equivalent concentrations in world urban cities were significantly (p<0.05) much higher than those in samples collected from northern provinces during both sampling periods. Application of diagnostic binary ratios of PAHs underlined the predominant contribution of vehicular exhaust to PM2.5-bound PAH levels in NNP areas, even in the middle of the agricultural waste burning period. The proximity of N-I and N-II values in three-dimensional (3D) principal component analysis (PCA) plots also supports this conclusion. Although the excess cancer risk in NNP areas is much lower than those of other urban area and industrialized cities, there are nevertheless some concerns relating to adverse health impacts on preschool children due to non-dietary exposure to PAHs in home environments.

Vertical Distribution and Potential Risk of Particulate Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in High Buildings of Bangkok, Thailand

Vertical variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in PM10 were investigated in order to assess the factors controlling their behavior in the urban atmosphere of Bangkok City, Thailand. Air samples were collected every three hours for three days at three different levels at Bai-Yok Suit Hotel (site-1 and site-2) and Bai-Yok Sky Hotel (site-3) in February 18th-21st, 2008. The B[a]P concentration showed a value 0.54 fold, lower than the United Kingdom Expert Panel on Air Quality Standard (UK-EPAQS; i.e. 250 pg m-3) at the top level. In contrast, the B[a]P concentrations exhibited, at the ground and middle level, values 1.50 and 1.43 times higher than the UK-EPAQS standard respectively. PAHs displayed a diurnal variation with maximums at night time because of the traffic rush hour coupled with lower nocturnal mixing layer, and the decreased wind speed, which consequently stabilized nocturnal boundary layer and thus enhanced the PAH contents around midnight. By applying Nielsens technique, the estimated traffic contributions at Site-3 were higher than those of Site-1: about 10% and 22% for Method 1 and Method 2 respectively. These results reflect the more complicated emission sources of PAHs at ground level in comparison with those of higher altitudes. The average values of incremental individual lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for all sampling sites fell within the range of 10?7-10?6, being close to the acceptable risk level (10?6) but much lower than the priority risk level (10?4).

Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Particulate Carcinogens and Mutagens in Bangkok, Thailand

To investigate the level of genotoxicity over Bangkok atmosphere, PM10 samples were collected at the Klongchan Housing Authority (KHA), Nonsree High School (NHS), Watsing High School (WHS), Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), Chokchai 4 Police Station (CPS), Dindaeng Housing Authority (DHA) and Badindecha High School (BHS). For all monitoring stations, each sample covered a period of 24 hours taken at a normal weekday every month from January-December 2006 forming a database of 84 individual air samples (i.e. 12?7=84). Atmospheric concentrations of low molecular weight PAHs (i.e. phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene and fluoranthene) were measured in PM10 at seven observatory sites operated by the pollution control department of Thailand (PCD). The mutagenicity of extracts of the samples was compared in Salmonella according to standard Ames test method. The dependence of the effects on sampling time and on sampling location was investigated with the aid of a calculation of mutagenic index (MI). This MI was used to estimate the increase in mutagenicity above background levels (i.e. negative control) at the seven monitoring sites in urban area of Bangkok due to anthropogenic emissions within that area. Applications of the AMES method showed that the average MI of PM10 collected at all sampling sites were 1.37±0.10 (TA98; +S9), 1.24±0.08 (TA98; -S9), 1.45±0.10 (TA100; +S9) and 1.30±0.09 (TA100; -S9) with relatively less variations. Analytical results reconfirm that the particulate PAH concentrations measured at PCD air quality monitoring stations are moderately low in comparison with previous results observed in other countries. In addition, the concept of incremental lifetime particulate matter exposure (ILPE) was employed to investigate the potential risks of exposure to particulate PAHs in Bangkok atmosphere.

Diurnal Variation, Vertical Distribution and Source Apportionment of Carcinogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Chiang-Mai, Thailand

Diurnal variation of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated by collecting PM10 at three different sampling altitudes using high buildings in the city center of Chiang-Mai, Thailand, during the relatively cold period in late February 2008. At site-1 (12 m above ground level), B[a]P concentrations ranged from 30.3 -1,673 pg m-3 with an average of 506±477 pg m-3, contributing on average, 8.09±8.69% to ?PAHs. Ind and B[b]F concentrations varied from 54.6 to 4,579 pg m-3 and from 80.7 to 2,292 pg m-3 with the highest average of 1,187±1,058 pg m-3 and 963±656 pg m-3, contributing on average, 19.0±19.3% and 15.4±12.0% to ?PAHs, respectively. Morning maxima were predominantly detected in all observatory sites, which can be described by typical diurnal variations of traffic flow in Chiang-Mai City, showing a morning peak between 6 AM. and 9 AM. Despite the fact that most monitoring sites might be subjected to specific-site impacts, it could be seen that PAH profiles in Site-1 and Site-2 were astonishingly homogeneous. The lack of differences suggests that the source signatures of several PAHs become less distinct possibly due to the impacts of traffic and cooking emissions from ground level.

Diagnosis of liver cancer from blood sera using FTIR microspectroscopy: a preliminary study.

FTIR microspectroscopy was applied for studying macromolecular changes in human serum samples from patients with healthy livers, and those diagnosed with liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our study demonstrated that the serum samples from HCC and cirrhotic patients could readily be discriminated from those from healthy controls based on macromolecular differences related to their lipid and protein structure. Spectral changes appeared to indicate that the secondary structure of protein from HCC sample groups contained a more distinctive β -sheet structure and a lower lipid content compared to samples from the healthy and cirrhosis group. This was correlated with measurements of large decreases in albumin levels in serum from diseased patients. We argue that this technique shows potential as a simple, rapid, inexpensive, and non-subjective methodology for the screening patients suspected of liver disease.

Estimation of gas-particle partitioning coefficients (Kp) of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in carbonaceous aerosols collected at Chiang-Mai, Bangkok and Hat-Yai, Thailand.

To assess environmental contamination with carcinogens, carbonaceous compounds, water-soluble ionic species and trace gaseous species were identified and quantified every three hours for three days at three different atmospheric layers at the heart of Chiang-Mai, Bangkok and Hat-Yai from December 2006 to February 2007. A DRI Model 2001 Thermal/Optical Carbon Analyzer with the IMPROVE thermal/optical reflectance (TOR) protocol was used to quantify the organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) contents in PM10. Diurnal and vertical variability was also carefully investigated. In general, OC and EC mass concentration showed the highest values at the monitoring period of 21.00-00.00 as consequences of human activities at night bazaar coupled with reduction of mixing layer, decreased wind speed and termination of photolysis at nighttime. Morning peaks of carbonaceous compounds were observed during the sampling period of 06:00-09:00, emphasizing the main contribution of traffic emission in the three cities. The estimation of incremental lifetime particulate matter exposure (ILPE) raises concern of high risk of carbonaceous accumulation over workers and residents living close to the observatory sites. The average values of incremental lifetime particulate matter exposure (ILPE) of total carbon at Baiyoke Suit Hotel and Baiyoke Sky Hotel are approximately ten times higher than those air samples collected at Prince of Songkla University Hat-Yai campus corpse incinerator and fish-can manufacturing factory but only slightly higher than those of rice straw burning in Songkla province. This indicates a high risk of developing lung cancer and other respiratory diseases across workers and residents living in high buildings located in Pratunam area. Using knowledge of carbonaceous fractions in PM10, one can estimate the gas-particle partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Dachs-Eisenreich model highlights the crucial role of adsorption in gas-particle partitioning of low molecular weight PAHs, whereas both absorption and adsorption tend to account for gas-particle partitioning of high molecular weight PAHs in urban residential zones of Thailand. Interestingly, the absorption mode alone plays a minor role in gas-particle partitioning of PAHs in Chiang-Mai, Bangkok and Hat-Yai.

Application of Binary Diagnostic Ratios of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons for Identification of Tsunami 2004 Backwash Sediments in Khao Lak, Thailand

Identification of Tsunami deposits has long been a controversial issue among geologists. Although there are many identification criteria based on the sedimentary characteristics of unequivocal Tsunami deposits, the concept still remains ambiguous. Apart from relying on some conventional geological, sedimentological, and geoscientific records, geologists need some alternative “proxies” to identify the existence of Tsunami backwash in core sediments. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of very stable organic molecules, which can usually be presented as complex mixtures of several hundred congeners; one can assume that the “Tsunami backwash deposits” possess different fingerprints of PAHs apart from those of “typical marine sediments.” In this study, three-dimensional plots of PAH binary ratios successfully identify the Tsunami backwash deposits in comparison with those of global marine sediments. The applications of binary ratios of PAHs coupled with HCA are the basis for developing site-specific Tsunami deposit identification criteria that can be applied in paleotsunami deposits investigations.

Parameters Influencing on Sensitivities of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Measured by Shimadzu GCMS-QP2010 Ultra

S. Pongpiachan1,2,*, P. Hirunyatrakul3, I. Kittikoon3 and C. Khumsup3 1NIDA Center for Research and Development on Disaster Prevention and Management, School of Social and Environmental Development, National Institute of Development, Administration (NIDA), Sereethai Road, Klong-Chan, Bangkapi, Bangkok, 2SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IEECAS), Xi’an, 3Bara Scientific Co., Ltd., Bangkok, 1,3Thailand 2China

Parameters Influencing Sulfur Speciation in Environmental Samples Using Sulfur K-Edge X-Ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure

This paper aims to enhance the credibility of applying the sulfur K-edge XANES spectroscopy as an innovative “fingerprint” for characterizing environmental samples. The sensitivities of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra of ten sulfur compound standards detected by two different detectors, namely, Lytle detector (LyD) and Germanium detector (GeD), were studied and compared. Further investigation on “self-absorption” effect revealed that the maximum sensitivities of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra were achieved when diluting sulfur compound standards with boron nitride (BN) at the mixing ratio of 0.1%. The “particle-size” effect on sulfur K-edge XANES spectrum sensitivities was examined by comparing signal-to-noise ratios of total suspended particles (TSP) and particulate matter of less than 10 millionths of a meter (PM10) collected at three major cities of Thailand. The analytical results have demonstrated that the signal-to-noise ratios of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra were positively correlated with sulfate content in aerosols and negatively connected with particle sizes. The combination of hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) has proved that sulfur K-edge XANES spectrum can be used to characterize German terrestrial soils and Andaman coastal sediments. In addition, this study highlighted the capability of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra as an innovative “fingerprint” to distinguish tsunami backwash deposits (TBD) from typical marine sediments (TMS).

Diurnal Variation and Spatial Distribution Effects on Sulfur Speciation in Aerosol Samples as Assessed by X-Ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES)

This paper focuses on providing new results relating to the impacts of Diurnal variation, Vertical distribution, and Emission source on sulfur K-edge XANES spectrum of aerosol samples. All aerosol samples used in the diurnal variation experiment were preserved using anoxic preservation stainless cylinders (APSCs) and pressure-controlled glove boxes (PCGBs), which were specially designed to prevent oxidation of the sulfur states in PM10. Further investigation of sulfur K-edge XANES spectra revealed that PM10 samples were dominated by S(VI), even when preserved in anoxic conditions. The “Emission source effect” on the sulfur oxidation state of PM10 was examined by comparing sulfur K-edge XANES spectra collected from various emission sources in southern Thailand, while “Vertical distribution effects” on the sulfur oxidation state of PM10 were made with samples collected from three different altitudes from rooftops of the highest buildings in three major cities in Thailand. The analytical results have demonstrated that neither “Emission source” nor “Vertical distribution” appreciably contribute to the characteristic fingerprint of sulfur K-edge XANES spectrum in PM10.