Three-Year Atmospheric Monitoring of Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Polar Regions and the South Pacific

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 45; no. 10; pp. 4475 - 4482
• Main Authors: Baek, Song-Yee, Choi, Sung-Deuk, Chang, Yoon-Seok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15-05-2011
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Aldrin - analysis; Antarctic Regions; Applied sciences; Arctic Regions; Atmosphere; Atmosphere - chemistry; Atmospheric pollution; Chlordan - analysis; DDT - analysis; Dieldrin - analysis; Endosulfan - analysis; Environmental Measurements Methods; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental testing; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated - analysis; Lindane - analysis; Pacific Ocean; PCB; Pesticides; Pesticides - analysis; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Trends; South Pacific; Pacific Ocean; Antarctica; Arctic Region; Antarctic Regions; Arctic Regions; Norway; Alesund Norway; Chuuk; King George Island; Agricultural chemical product; Pesticides; Polychlorobiphenyls; Organic chlorine compounds; Time variation; Organic halogen compounds; Persistent organic pollutant; Chemical pollution; Halogenated hydrocarbon; Surveillance; Organochlorine compounds; Chlorocarbon; Long range pollutant transport; Trend analysis; Pollution source; Air pollution; Aromatic compound; Polar region; Organic compounds; Concentration distribution
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es1042996

XAD-2 resin based passive air samplers (PAS) were deployed for three one-year periods at the Korean polar and South Pacific research stations at Ny-Ålesund (2005–2009), King George Island (2005–2007), and Chuuk (2006–2009) to investigate long-range transport, local sources, and temporal trends of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The highest hexachlocyclohexane (HCH) concentration (35.2–78.9 pg·m–3) over the entire sampling period was detected at Ny-Ålesund, in the Arctic. α-HCH was the dominant OCP (31.1–67.1 pg·m–3), contributing about 50% of the total OCP load. Additionally, a high and consistent α/γ-HCH ratio was observed at Ny-Ålesund. HCHs might reach Arctic sites more easily than other OCPs from surrounding countries through long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT). Interestingly, high levels of the current-use OCP endosulfanparticularly endosulfan-Iwere detected at almost all sampling sites, including in Antarctica, ranging 12.2–88.5, 17.7–130, and ND–59.7 pg·m–3 at King George Island, Ny-Ålesund, and Chuuk, respectively. Specific OCP and PCB patterns, such as low trans/cis-chlordane ratios and a prevalence of lighter PCB congeners, were observed in all three regions (excepting one site at Ny-Ålesund and one site in the South Pacific affected by local sources) during all sampling periods. This indicates that these Polar and remote South Pacific sites are mainly influenced by LRAT. Over the entire sampling period, a decreasing trend of HCHs (α- and γ-HCH) and an increasing trend of endosulfan-I were observed at the Ny-Ålesund sites.