Gas- and particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations evaluated in the exhaust of 10 two-stroke, 50-cm3 mopeds belonging to three different levels of emission legislation (EURO-0, EURO-1 and EURO-2) were used to assess the prevalent mechanism driving the gas/particle partitioning of PAHs in moped exhaust. Sampling was performed on a dynamometer bench both during the "cold-start" and the "hot" phases of the ECE-47 driving cycle. Gas and particulate phase PAHs were collected on polyurethane foam (PUF) plugs and 47-mm Pallflex T60A20 filters, respectively, under isokinetic conditions by using sampling probes inserted into the dilution tunnel of a Constant Volume Sampling - Critical Flow Venturi (CVS-CFV) system. The results show that semi-volatile PAHs were predominantly partitioned to the particle phase. The soluble organic fraction (SOF) of the collected particulates ranged between 72 and 98%. Measured total suspended particulate matter normalized partition coefficients (Kp) were predicted within a factor of 3-5 by assuming absorption into the organic fraction according to a model developed by Harner and Bidleman [Harner, T., Bidleman, T.F., 1998. Octanol-air partition coefficient for describing particle/gas partitioning of aromatic compounds in urban air. Environmental Science & Technology 32, 1494-1502.]. This suggests that the gas/particle partitioning in moped exhaust is mainly driven by the high fraction of organic matter of the emitted particles and that absorption could be the main partitioning mechanism of PAHs. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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