A preliminary investigation comparing high-volume and low-volume air samplers for measurement of PAHs, NPAHs and airborne bacterial communities in atmospheric particulate matter

Exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) constitutes a severe public health threat in African countries' urban areas. Exposure to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) constitutes a severe public health threat in African countries' urban areas. However, monitoring is scarce to non-existent in large parts of Africa due to the lack of resources to acquire, operate and maintain the expensive reference monitors used to measure PM and its composition. In this study, PM 10 (particulate matter, <10 μm) was collected simultaneously using high-volume and low-volume air samplers (an HVAS and an LVAS) at an urban site in Rwanda. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) and bacterial community structures (estimated using 16 rRNA gene sequences) were characterized, and results were compared for the two sampler types. The 24 h mean PM 10 concentrations were higher in the HVAS than in the LVAS, but both exceeded WHO guidelines. Fewer PAH and NPAH compounds were identified using the LVAS, suggesting that the LVAS collected an insufficient mass of PM 10 to reach detection limits. Species diversity of airborne bacteria was lower in the LVASs; however, in contrast, the LVASs yielded a higher average DNA concentration. Principal coordination analysis (PCoA) results indicated that bacterial communities were distinctly different between the HVAS and LVAS samplers. Both sampling instruments have potential benefits; however, their samples should not be directly compared without a comprehensive performance evaluation in the area of study.