Polychlorinated naphthalenes in Great Lakes air: assessing spatial trends and combustion inputs using PUF disk passive air samplers

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es060872m· OSTI ID:20790878

Harner, Tom; Shoeib, Mahiba; Gouin, Todd; Blanchard, Pierrette ^[1]

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1. Environment Canada, Toronto, ON (Canada). Science & Technology Branch

Passive air samplers made from polyurethane foam (PUF) disks housed in stainless steel chambers were deployed over four seasons during 2002-2003, at 15 sites in the Laurentian Great lakes, to assess spatial and temporal trends of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs). Sampling rates, determined using depuration compounds pre-spiked into the PUF disk prior to exposure, were, on average, 2.9 {+-} 1.1 m{sup 3} d{sup -1}, consistent with previous studies employing these samplers. PCN air concentrations exhibited strong urban-rural differences - typically a few pg m{sup 3} at rural sites and an order of magnitude higher at urban sites (Toronto, 12-31 pg m{sup -3} and Chicago, 13-52 pg m{sup -3}). The high concentrations at urban sites were attributed to continued emissions of historically used technical PCN. Contributions from combustion-derived PCNs seemed to be more important at rural locations where congeners 24 and 50, associated with wood and coal burning, were elevated. Congener 66/67, associated with incineration and other industrial thermal processes, was elevated at two sites and explained by nearby and/or upwind sources. Probability density maps were constructed for each site and for every integration period were shown to be a useful complement to seasonally integrated passive sampling data to resolve source-receptor relationship for PCNs and other pollutants. 25 refs., 7 figs., 1 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 20790878
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 40, Issue 17; Other Information: [e-mail]; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
09 BIOMASS FUELS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
GREAT LAKES
CANADA
USA
AIR SAMPLERS
SAMPLING
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
PROBABILISTIC ESTIMATION
URBAN AREAS
ONTARIO
ILLINOIS
AIR POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
RURAL AREAS
WOOD FUELS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INCINERATORS
POLYURETHANES
FOAMS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROAROMATICS