Long-term high and low-volume air sampling of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons along a transect from urban to remote areas on the Swedish Baltic coast

Abstract

Air samples were collected along a transect from the city of Stockholm urban area to the open coastal area of the Baltic Sea. Samples for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) analysis were collected for 135 days (mean 860 m3) and for 5-64 days (6500-5400 m3), respectively. The concentrations were found to decrease with increasing distance from Stockholm with intervals of total concentrations of 1.4-0.2 pg/m3 (24-3 fg of toxic equiv/m3) for the PCDD/Fs and 11-2.5 ng/m3 for the PAHs. The lower concentrations were established as Scandinavian background air levels. Atmospheric transport time was found to govern aerosol adsorption of PAHs in the vapor phase, and the low temperature (-4 "C) resulted in very high aerosol association for all PAHs. The estimated dry fluxes of PAHs and PCDD/Fs were 41 ng/cm2.year and 3.2 pg/cm2.year, respectively, and the wet fluxes were 9.6 ng/cm2.year and 0.56 pg/cm2.year, respectively. Multivariate statistical analysis (SIMCA) indicated a spatial distribution, depending on the isomer and relative compound distribution, in accordance with distance from Stockholm for PCDD/Fs and PAHs. The air samples were statistically compared with settling and suspended particulate matter to establish the atmospheric input of PCDD/Fs and PAHs to the aquatic environment. Only for PCDD/Fs did the air samples show significant similarity in composition to the water samples.

Source apportionment of elevated wintertime PAHs by compound-specific radiocarbon analysis

“…Details on the sampling site and meteorological conditions can be found elsewhere (Krecl et al, 2007(Krecl et al, , 2008a. Two custom-built highvolume samplers were employed (Broman et al, 1991), each one consisting of an inverted filter holder which collected total suspended particle matter (TSP) on borosilicate glass fiber filters (GFF, 293 mm diameter, Millipore, USA). Downstream of the GFF filters were two sequential polyurethane foam (PUF) traps for collecting volatile compounds.…”

Conceptual Model for the Transport of Energetic Residues from Surface Soil to Groundwater by Range Activities

“…These four-ringed compounds are among the most abundant PAHs in creosote wood preservative (Elder and Dresler 1988). Fluoranthene also tends to be a dominant PAH in atmospheric deposition (Broman et al 1991), and pyrene and chrysene are among the more common PAHs found in motor vehicle particulate emissions. Four other PAHs were detected in approximately 7 to 8 percent of the samples at Camp Edwards: benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)anthracene, and benzo(a)pyrene.…”

Risks and Management of Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in Baltic Sea Fish: An Integrated Assessment

“…So is the German median deposition at background stations, 3 pg I-TEq m -2 d -1 (BLAD 2002a). Broman et al (1991a) and Tysklind et al (1993) reported that 4-PeCDF makes up c. 20 % of the total TEq in air at rural Swedish coastal sites.…”

“…estimated from unpublished data the background Swedish atmospheric deposition flux of dlPCBs at 0.04 ng WHO-TEq P m -2 , i.e. 2 % of the flux of WHOTEq DF based on data by Broman et al (1991a), and amounting to 15 g WHO-TEq P a -1 on Baltic Sea surface. However, the following factors have to be borne in mind in evaluating these data:…”

“…unpublished, from 13-mo measurements in Utö, Northern Baltic Proper in 2002 Vikelsøe & al. 2005, from 3-a measurements in Bornholm; c Broman & al. 1991ad Marklund & al.…”