Issue 7, 2006

Persistent organic pollutants in European background air: derivation of temporal and latitudinal trends

Abstract

Data are presented for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyls ethers (PBDEs) and selected organochlorine compounds (OCs) in passive air samplers (PAS) along a rural/remote latitudinal transect from southern UK to northern Norway during 2002–2004. This study is part of an ongoing campaign, using semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as PAS over two year intervals since 1994. Data for PCBs, selected OCs and PBDEs are compared with that from previous campaigns. Absolute sequestered amounts of selected PCB congeners have decreased in a first order fashion between 1994–2004, with an average atmospheric clearance rate of 4.1 ± 0.6 years and continue to fractionate with latitude. HCB has also declined between 1998–2004, with a clearance rate of 6 ± 2.4 years. Data on DDT and its breakdown products indicate little fresh release in Europe. Comparison of PBDEs in 2000–02 and 2002–04 indicates site differences, generally with increases at UK sites and decreases in Norway. BDE-28, 47 and 49 decreased with increasing latitude (p < 0.04), while the other congeners did not show any significant latitudinal dependence. Transect data are presented for PAHs the first time. Three- and 4-ringed compounds dominated the mixture present in the SPMD. The PAH composition of the SPMDs at site 3 was compared to the average composition taken by active sampling at the same site. SPMD performance for sampling PAHs leaves many uncertainties, but they can be successfully used to semiquantitatively detect PAHs in the atmosphere. Fluorene and phenanthrene increased with latitude (p > 0.05), while 1-methylphenanthere, fluoranthene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and indeno[123-cd]pyrene decreased. Results are discussed in terms of sources, long-range atmospheric transport, global fractionation and clearance processes.

Graphical abstract: Persistent organic pollutants in European background air: derivation of temporal and latitudinal trends

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 Apr 2006
Accepted
02 Jun 2006
First published
15 Jun 2006

J. Environ. Monit., 2006,8, 700-710

Persistent organic pollutants in European background air: derivation of temporal and latitudinal trends

R. Gioia, E. Steinnes, G. O. Thomas, S. N. Mejier and K. C. Jones, J. Environ. Monit., 2006, 8, 700 DOI: 10.1039/B604821H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Spotlight

Advertisements