Atmospheric pollution due to carbonaceous aerosols has
important implications for global climate change and human health
(Nel, 2005; Russell and Brunekreef, 2009; Posfai and Buseck, 2010;
Chow et al., 2011). The primary components of carbonaceous
aerosols are organic compounds like aliphatic hydrocarbons and
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Jacobson et al., 2000),
elemental carbon (EC) produced as a by–product of incomplete
combustion and inorganic carbon compounds (mainly carbonates).
A variety of analytical methods are available for the quantification
of organic carbon (OC) content, EC and the total amount of carbon
present in an aerosol sample.