Targeted and Non-Targeted Screening of Organic Pollutants in Atmospheric Aerosols of Arctic Urban Agglomeration Using...

This study focuses on the search and determination of organic pollutants in aerosol particles (PM_2.5) collected in Arkhangelsk, the largest urban agglomeration in the Arctic, during winter and summer periods. Thermal desorption gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was applied for non-targeted screening of atmospheric aerosols, enabling the detection of compounds at low concentrations ranging from 10 pg/m³ to several ng/m³. Representatives of various chemical classes were detected in samples from both seasons, including CHO compounds (with phthalates as the predominant subgroup), nitrogen-containing compounds (e.g., pyridines, quinolines, nicotine), phenols and monoaromatics, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives. In winter, PAHs and oxy-PAHs significantly predominated, likely due to increased combustion of fossil fuels and biomass for heating purposes. A total of approximately 300 compounds were identified via non-targeted screening, of which 32 were confirmed and quantified using authentic reference standards across six chemical classes. Seasonal variations in both the composition and concentration levels highlight the impact of local emission sources and atmospheric conditions on the organic aerosol profile in this arctic urban environment.