Asia is of global importance economically, yet data on ambient persistent organic pollutant levels are still sparse for the region, despite international efforts under the Stockholm Convention to identify and reduce emissions. A large-scale passive air sampling survey was therefore conducted in Asia, specifically in China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Polyurethane foam disks were deployed simultaneously at 77 sites, between Sept 21 and Nov 16, 2004, and analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine compounds (hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), chlordane), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The meteorological conditions prevailing in the region at this time facilitated the assessment of local/regional differences in atmospheric emissions, because large-scale advection effects due to monsoons or dust storms did not occur. Air concentrations estimated assuming an average sampler uptake rate of 3.5 m3/day ranged as follows (pg m(-3)): PCBs, 5-340; HCB, 10-460; DDTs, 0.4-1800; chlordanes, 1-660; PBDEs, < 0.13-340. South Korea and Singapore generally had regionally low concentrations. Elevated concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, and HCB occurred at sites in China, higher than reported in a similar recent sampling campaign in Europe. Chlordane was highest in samples from Japan (which also had elevated levels of PCBs and DDTs) and was also elevated in some Chinese locations. PBDE levels were generally low in the region.

China has a history of large scale production and application of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) although, data on their nationwide distribution and seasonal variations in the atmosphere is still sparse. Passive air samplers (PAS) were therefore utilized to obtain seasonal data from 37 Chinese cities and three background sites in 2005. Concentrations and spatial and seasonal distribution of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), chlordanes (CHLs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and endosulfans (Endo) are presented in this paper, and their potential sources are discussed based on the dataset. It is estimated that ca. 95% of DDTs present in the atmosphere of Chinese cities was still from technical DDT, while only ca. approximately 5% was "dicofol-type of DDT". DDT application for public health control and DDT activated antifouling paint for fishing ships may be the two most important current sources of technical DDT. The DDT concentrations in several Chinese cities seem to match well with the reported DDT concentrations in human breast milk. A low TC/CC ratio was observed across China in the winter to spring, which may provide a fingerprint of Chinese chlordane emission. It was suggested that "weathered" chlordane emitted from urban construction foundations in winter may give the distinctively low TC/CC ratio. The data showed that China is an important global source for HCB. Higher HCB concentrations were observed in winter and spring, and in colder cities, highlighting an important contribution from combustion sources. Samples with higher endosulfan concentrations occurred in the cotton production areas, indicating its major use in killing cotton pests.