Estimates of atmospheric deposition of submicron particle-associated combustion derived organic contaminants to Chesapeake Bay
- National Inst. of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States). Organic Analytical Research Division
- Univ. of Maryland, Solomons, MD (United States). Chesapeake Biological Lab.
Once emitted into the atmosphere, combustion derived organic contaminants partition between gaseous and particle phases. In order to estimate the wet and dry removal of contaminants from the atmospheric to surface waters, it is necessary to measure gaseous and particle-associated contaminant concentrations because the deposition mechanisms of each phase differ. The authors estimate dry and wet depositional fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) as a function of large and small particles to provide insight to the contribution of small particles to the overall atmospheric flux of organic contaminants to surface waters. Utilizing data gathered from concurrent measurements of 10 PAHs associated with particles in rain an in the atmosphere adjacent to Chesapeake Bay, and from PAH particle-size distribution data recently collected at Egbert, Ontario, calculated non-crustal PAH dry particle fluxes range from 40 to as high as 160 ng/m{sup 2}/month. Despite the lower estimated deposition velocity for noncrustal particles relative to that for partially crustal particles, non-crustal PAH particle fluxes are about a factor of five larger than those calculated for particles with a partial crustal component. Monthly wet fluxes of submicron particles range from 12 to 260 ng/m{sup 2}/month and in contrast to dry periods, are similar to those for large particles. Their calculations suggest that the atmospheric loading of submicron particle associated PAHs on an annual basis during dry and wet periods are significant due to the high concentrations of contaminants in this size range in both air and rain.
- OSTI ID:
- 33546
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410273-; TRN: IM9518%%366
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 15. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Denver, CO (United States), 30 Oct - 3 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 15th annual meeting: Abstract book. Ecological risk: Science, policy, law, and perception; PB: 286 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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