Chlorinated hydrocarbons in peat
Concentrations (ng/g), accumulation rates (ug/m/sup 2/=yr) and burdens were determined for DDT (1,1,1-trichlorophenyl2-2'bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane), polychlorinated biphenyls. Toxaphene, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and a,b,g-hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) in peat cores taken across the mid-latitudes of North America. Because peat bogs are ombrotrophic, thereby receiving all contaminant inputs from the atmosphere and because peat cores were dated, atmospheric input functions were constructed for all of the compounds listed above excepting the HCHs. Compound inventories (burdens) in peat cores of PCBs, HCB, HCHs, Toxaphene, DDT, Pb and Zn were compared, indicating a strong influence from areas proximate to industrial sources and the atmospheric transport from source regions. Untransformed parent DDT (p,p' and o,p'-DDT) in surface peat and in precipitation provides evidence for the long range transport of DDT from neighboring countries where use has increased over the past 10-15 years. Present accumulation rates of DDT in peat are about 10-20% of maximum levels associated with peak use in the US around 1960. The DDT input function that was developed can be used to date peat cores. Transformations of DDT and PCBs were also examined in peat cores. First order transformation rates of DDT (p,p' and o,p') to DDD in anaerobic peat core environments ranged from 0.03 to 0.09 yr/sup -1/ with differences related to temperature. Aerobic transformation of PCB congeners in peat cores and microcosms was rapid for 2,3 and several 4 chlorinated congeners (T/sub 1/2 less than or equal to 0.2 to 3 years) and declined with increasing chlorine number.
- Research Organization:
- Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6907337
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
DDT
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
PEAT
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
ABUNDANCE
AIR POLLUTION
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
COAL DEPOSITS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LEAD
TIME DEPENDENCE
USA
ZINC
AROMATICS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INSECTICIDES
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
PESTICIDES
POLLUTION
RESOURCES
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
010600 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Properties & Composition