Short-term temperature-dependent air-surface exchange and atmospheric concentrations of polychlorinated naphthalenes and organochlorine pesticides
Atmospheric concentrations of five organochlorine (OC) pesticides, some of which have been banned for a number of years, and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were measured at a U.K. site over periods of 6 h for 7 days resulting in 28 samples. Mean concentrations of the pesticides were {alpha}-HCH 90 pg m{sup {minus}3}, {gamma}-HCH 500, {rho},{rho}{prime}-DDE 8, dieldrin 63, endrin 22, and HCB 39. PCN mean homologue concentrations were {sub 3}CNs 67 pg m{sup {minus}3}, {sub 4}CNs 78, {sub 5}CNs 5, {sub 6}CNs 0.6, {sub 7}CNs 0.6, and {Sigma}PCNs 152. TEQ concentrations for those PCNs ascribed TEF values ranged between 0.36 and 3.6 fg m{sup {minus}3} which corresponds to {approximately}3.0--30% of the TEQ concentrations of PCDD/Fs at the same site. All the compounds measured, except HCB, exhibited a strong temperature-dependent diurnal cycling. Results from Clausius-Clapeyron plots show that pesticide concentrations were controlled by temperature-driven air-surface recycling throughout the first 5 days when stable atmospheric conditions were dominant, while during the last 2 days advection became more influential as more unstable and cooler weather started to influence the site. PCN concentrations were controlled primarily by a mixture of recycling and advection throughout the first 5 days and then by advection in the final 2 days, suggesting that there are ongoing emissions from diffuse point sources of PCNs into the U.K. atmosphere. This study provides further evidence of the rapid air-surface exchange of semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) and shows how different factors alone or in combination can produce rapid changes in the atmospheric concentrations of past and present SOCs.
- Research Organization:
- Lancaster Univ. (GB)
- OSTI ID:
- 20026678
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 34, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: 1 Feb 2000; ISSN 0013-936X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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