Polycyclic aromatic and organochlorine compounds in the atmosphere of Northern Ellesmere Island, Canada

Journal Article · Thu Jun 20 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91JD00010· OSTI ID:5194962

Patton, G W; Walla, M D; Bidleman, T F ^[1]; Barrie, L A ^[2]

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1. Department of Chemistry, University of South Carolina (Columbia)
2. Atmospheric Environment Service, Downsview, Ontario (Canada)

In February--April 1988 we collected air samples at Alert in the Canadian Arctic (82.5{degree}N, 62.3{degree}W) to determine the types, concentrations, and vapor-particle relationships for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and oxygenated compounds, organochlorine (OC) pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB). Samples were taken using a glass fiber filter-polyurethane foam train and were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography using mass selective and electron capture detection. PAH and oxygenated compounds included dibenzofuran, biphenyl, fluorene, phenanthrene, 9-fluorenone, fluoranthene, benzofluoranthenes, pyrene, chrysene, benzopyrenes, indeno(cd)pyrene, benzo(ghi)-perylene, 2-methyl phenanthrene, benz(a)anthracene, and anthracene (given in order of relative abundance, highest to lowest). OC compounds included hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH), hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, PCB, polychlorocamphenes, chlordanes, and the dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) group (given as above). The concentration ratios of {alpha}-HCH/{gamma}-HCH (5.2--9.8) and {ital trans} to {ital cis}-chlordane (0.78{minus}1.29) are reported. Compounds having estimated liquid-phase saturation vapor pressure ({ital p}{sup 0}{sub {ital L}}){ge}10{sup {minus}3} Pa at the average sampling temperature (245 K) were almost entirely gaseous. Those from 10{sup {minus}6}{le}{ital p}{sup 0}{sub {ital L}}{le}10{sup {minus}3} Pa were distributed between the particle and gas phases, whereas little or no gaseous component was evident for compounds having {ital p}{sup 0}{sub {ital L}}{le}10{sup {minus}6} Pa. The particle-vapor distribution of PAH and OC compared favorably to the Junge-Pankow model. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1991

• OSTI ID: 5194962
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States) Vol. 96:D6; ISSN JGREA; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR
AIR POLLUTION
ARCTIC REGIONS
AROMATICS
CANADA
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FLUIDS
GASES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
POLAR REGIONS
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SURFACE AIR