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Title: Evidence of increased gaseous PCB fluxes to Lake Michigan from Chicago

Abstract

Urban-industrial areas exhibit atmospheric concentrations of organic contaminants that are often > 5--10x regional background. Increased emissions of PCBs into the urban-industrial atmosphere leads to enhanced depositional fluxes to proximate waters. In this study, the increased air-water exchange inputs of PCB congeners into southern Lake Michigan driven by elevated atmospheric concentrations emanating from the Chicago, IL/Gary, IN air plume was studied. Intensive experiments were conducted in May and July 1994 and January 1995. The gaseous {Sigma}PCB concentrations at the overlake site 15-km from Chicago ranged from 132 to 1,120 pg/m{sup 3} with higher concentrations occurring in warm periods and when winds were from southerly and westerly quadrants. Dissolved phase {Sigma}PCB concentrations ranged from 48 to 302 pg/L with concentrations in winter {approximately} 2.5 x higher than summer concentrations. Instantaneous net air-water exchange fluxes ranged from {minus}32 (absorption) to + 59 ng/m{sup 2}-d with absorptive flux highest in summer when winds were from the urban area and gas-phase concentrations were highest. Air and surface water temperatures and wind direction were the dominant factors influencing the magnitude and direction of air-water exchange fluxes. The modeled net air-water exchange flux of {Sigma}PCB in the southern quarter of Lake Michigan was {minus} 18 {micro}g/m{supmore » 2}-yr (net absorption) in 1994, corresponding to 140 kg/yr net input.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Rutgers-the State Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States). Dept. of Environmental Sciences
  2. Univ. of Maryland, Solomons, MD (United States). Chesapeake Biological Lab.
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
678051
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Environmental Science and Technology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 33; Journal Issue: 13; Other Information: PBD: 1 Jul 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; WATER POLLUTION; LAKE MICHIGAN; POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS; MONITORING; AIR POLLUTION; CHICAGO; DEPOSITION; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; SEASONAL VARIATIONS; AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS

Citation Formats

Zhang, H, Eisenreich, S J, Franz, T R, Baker, J E, and Offenberg, J H. Evidence of increased gaseous PCB fluxes to Lake Michigan from Chicago. United States: N. p., 1999. Web. doi:10.1021/es981073+.
Zhang, H, Eisenreich, S J, Franz, T R, Baker, J E, & Offenberg, J H. Evidence of increased gaseous PCB fluxes to Lake Michigan from Chicago. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es981073+
Zhang, H, Eisenreich, S J, Franz, T R, Baker, J E, and Offenberg, J H. 1999. "Evidence of increased gaseous PCB fluxes to Lake Michigan from Chicago". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es981073+.
@article{osti_678051,
title = {Evidence of increased gaseous PCB fluxes to Lake Michigan from Chicago},
author = {Zhang, H and Eisenreich, S J and Franz, T R and Baker, J E and Offenberg, J H},
abstractNote = {Urban-industrial areas exhibit atmospheric concentrations of organic contaminants that are often > 5--10x regional background. Increased emissions of PCBs into the urban-industrial atmosphere leads to enhanced depositional fluxes to proximate waters. In this study, the increased air-water exchange inputs of PCB congeners into southern Lake Michigan driven by elevated atmospheric concentrations emanating from the Chicago, IL/Gary, IN air plume was studied. Intensive experiments were conducted in May and July 1994 and January 1995. The gaseous {Sigma}PCB concentrations at the overlake site 15-km from Chicago ranged from 132 to 1,120 pg/m{sup 3} with higher concentrations occurring in warm periods and when winds were from southerly and westerly quadrants. Dissolved phase {Sigma}PCB concentrations ranged from 48 to 302 pg/L with concentrations in winter {approximately} 2.5 x higher than summer concentrations. Instantaneous net air-water exchange fluxes ranged from {minus}32 (absorption) to + 59 ng/m{sup 2}-d with absorptive flux highest in summer when winds were from the urban area and gas-phase concentrations were highest. Air and surface water temperatures and wind direction were the dominant factors influencing the magnitude and direction of air-water exchange fluxes. The modeled net air-water exchange flux of {Sigma}PCB in the southern quarter of Lake Michigan was {minus} 18 {micro}g/m{sup 2}-yr (net absorption) in 1994, corresponding to 140 kg/yr net input.},
doi = {10.1021/es981073+},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/678051}, journal = {Environmental Science and Technology},
number = 13,
volume = 33,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999},
month = {Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999}
}