Masterarbeit

What is the link? Fingerprint analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and airborne particles

Kenny Rautenberg (03/2021-08/2022)

Betreuer: Anke Nölscher, Eva Lehndorff

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are major organic pollutants which are ubiquitously spread around the globe and are primarily emitted via anthropogenic combustion processes. They have been found in various environmental media and most substances of this group exert a carcinogenic on living organisms including humans. PAHs make up a majority of the organic fraction in atmospheric particles, particularly in ultrafine particles (UFP) – particulate matter with a diameter of ≤ 100 nm. Due to their small size, UFP pose a risk for harmful effects on the human body and the earth’s environment. The aim of this master thesis is to implement and validate a method for the filter extraction and subsequent GC-MS analysis for ambient UFP samples focussing on PAHs.