Toward an understanding of the global atmospheric distribution of persistent organic pollutants: The use of semipermeable membrane devices as time-integrated passive samplers
- Lancaster Univ. (United Kingdom). Environmental Science Dept.
- Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Inst. of Marine Sciences
- Norwegian Univ. of Science and Technology, Trondheim (Norway). Dept. of Chemistry
Triolein-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) were deployed as passive air samplers alongside conventional air samplers at two sites, and derived atmospheric concentrations from each were compared. Excellent comparability was noted between sampling systems. SPMDs were also deployed for 2 years at 10 sites across a latitudinal transect from the south of the UK (ca. 50 {degree} N) to the north of Norway (ca. 70{degree} N) to passively sample air. Time-integrated, simultaneous data were obtained, which were used to test the global fractionation hypothesis in the Northern Hemisphere. Extracts were analyzed for a suite of PCB congeners and {alpha}- and {gamma}-HCH. A latitudinal change in PCB profiles was seen. The absolute atmospheric concentration of the tetra-chlorinated PCBs was relatively uniform over the study area, but their relative concentration increased with increasing latitude or decreasing temperature. The concentration of the penta-chlorinated PCBs decreased from 6 pg m{sup {minus}3} at the southern UK site to 1.5 pg m{sup {minus}3} in the north of Norway, but their relative concentration was uniform (33% total PCB) over the transect. Absolute and relative concentrations of heavier PCBs decreased with increasing latitude and decreasing temperature.
- OSTI ID:
- 655453
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 32, Issue 18; Other Information: PBD: 15 Sep 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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