Emission fingerprint of inland navigation vessels compared with road traffic, domestic heating and ocean going vessels

Despite increasing need for cargo shipping, little knowledge exists on emissions from inland navigation. Here we characterized and compared patterns of metals, and parent-, thio- and alkylated PAHs in gaseous and particulate emissions from inland navigation vessels (INVs) with those of road traffic, domestic heating (solid fuels) and ocean going vessels (OGVs) using data from this study and the literature. Diagnostic tools for tracing the environmental impact of inland navigation are proposed. INV and diesel fueled road traffic emissions were differentiated from OGVs and coal combustion via V/Ni values. The PAH inventory of particulate INV emissions also differed significantly from other emitters via a higher proportion of three ring PAHs. The ratio of phenanthrene to dibenzothiophene distinguished diesel fueled road traffic, lignite combustion, OGVs and INVs from gasoline fueled road traffic and wood combustion. The 1,7/(1,7 + 2,6) and 1,7/(1,7 + x4) dimethylphenanthrene ratios (x4 = sum of 1,3-, 2,10-, 3,9- and 3,10-dimethylphenanthrene) separated INV, road traffic (diesel), domestic heating and OGV emissions and are recommended for future application in environmental quality studies.