Characterizing PAH emission concentrations in ambient air during a large-scale joss paper open-burning event

Large-scale open burning of joss paper is an important ritual practice for deity worshipping during Buddhist and Taoist festivals. Since Buddhism and Taoism are two of the most popular religions in Chinese societies and some Asian countries, the impact of joss paper burning on the air quality needs further investigation. This study explores the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air during one of the most important festivals, in which large-scale burning of joss paper occurs in temples and in people's houses. The PAH concentrations were measured simultaneously at a temple site and a background site during both the festival and non-festive (ordinary) periods. Each ambient sample was extracted by the Soxhlet analytical method (for both particle-bound and gas-phase) and analyzed with gas chromatography. Experimental results indicate that the total PAH concentration during the festival period is approximately 4.2 times higher than that during the ordinary period (5384 ng m−3 vs. 1275 ng m−3). This study also employed statistical methods including diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis (PCA) to identify the possible PAH emission sources. Joss paper burning and vehicular emissions are identified as the principal sources of airborne PAHs during the large-scale open-burning event. The results of this work provide useful information for public awareness concerning PAH emission from the open burning of joss paper.