Effects of fish (mackerel pike) broiling on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination of suspended particulate matter in indoor air

The effects of fish (mackerel pike) broiling on indoor air pollution with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were investigated using personal cascade impactors (PCI) sampler and a HPLC spectrofluorometric method. Particles in indoor air were separately collected into 3 classes according to their diameters (10 mum, 2.5-10 mum, and 2.5 mum). Acetonitrile could extract PAH, even from fatty particulates generated during fish broiling. PAH were mostly contained in the smallest class ( 2.5 mum) particulates. The indoor air was polluted with high levels of PAH during broiling when ventilation was not in operation. The benzo[a]pyrene concentration in the smallest particulates at that time was lower at the center of the room than that at the corner opposite to the cooking stand. The PAH concentrations did not always decrease depending on the straight-line distance from the emission source (cooking table). As a result, fish broiling is one of the most important sources of indoor air pollution in Japanese houses.