Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Arctic atmosphere
- Atmospheric Environment Service, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
- Bovar Environmental, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)
- Freshwater Inst. Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)
As part of the Canadian Northern Contaminants Research Program, measurements of persistent organic pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been made on a weekly basis in the Canadian and Russian Arctic since January 1992. At each site a High-Volume air sampler was used to collect particulate and gaseous fractions of these airborne pollutants. PAH and PCB data will be presented primarily for the sites of Alert (82.5{degree}N) on Ellesmere Island and Tagish (60.3{degree}N) in the Yukon (Pacific Northwest). Other sites include Cape Dorset on Baffin Island and Dunai Island in eastern Siberia. At both Alert and Tagish, seasonal fluctuations in total PAH and total PCB concentrations were apparent. PAHs showed a maxima during the colder months of December to March while PCBs displayed higher concentrations during the warmer months of April to August. At Alert, total PCB concentrations ranged from {approximately} 40 pg/m{sup 3} in the colder months of october to March and {approximately} 140 pg/m{sup 3} in the warmer months of April to August, the profile dominated by the lighter di- and tri-chlorinated homologues. Concentrations of the higher chlorinated penta- hexa- and hepta-CBs peaked during the warmer months. Enhanced partitioning to the particulate phase was evident for both PAHs and PCBs in the Arctic atmosphere.
- OSTI ID:
- 442897
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149-; TRN: IM9712%%322
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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