Concentrations and fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls across the air-water interface of Lake Superior

Journal Article · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00073a009· OSTI ID:5396674

Baker, J E; Eisenreich, S J ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis (USA)

Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in the atmosphere and surface waters of Lake Superior to estimate the direction and magnitude of their fluxes across the air-water interface. Atmospheric PAH concentrations ({Sigma}(PAH) = 3.8 {plus minus} 1.7 mg/m{sup 3}, 13 PAHs) were typical of levels found in continental background air. Atmospheric PCB concentrations (x = 1.2 ng/m{sup 3}) have remained relatively constant over the Great Lakes during the past 10 years despite lower PCB loadings. PCB congener fugacity gradients suggest PCB volatilization from Lake Superior's surface waters in August 1986. Mean volatilization fluxes of total PCBs (19 ng/m{sup 2}{center dot}day) are similar to estimates of gross atmospheric deposition to the lake, supporting the hypothesis of nonequilibrium, steady-state PCB exchange across the air-water interface. PAH fluxes could not be calculated due to uncertainties in PAH Henry's law constants.

• OSTI ID: 5396674
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Vol. 24:3; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LAKE SUPERIOR
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SURFACE WATERS
WATER POLLUTION
AROMATICS
CHEMISTRY
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
LAKES
MATERIALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)