Variable Air Temperature Response of Gas-Phase Atmospheric Polychlorinated Biphenyls near a Former Manufacturing Facility

Abstract

Many investigations of gas-phase atmospheric PCB show a strong relationship between concentration and air temperature, especially near PCB sources. Comparative gas-phase atmospheric PCB trends during an annual temperature regime at two sites near a former PCB manufacturing plant and nearby PCB landfills in Anniston, AL, indicate a departure from this trend. The Mars Hill sampling site, located closest to the plant and landfills, shows an annual average sigmaPCB concentration of 27 ng m(-3) (ranging from 8.7 to 82 ng m(-3)) three times the average at Carter, 1.5 km away (9 ng m(-3), ranging from 1.1 to 39). However, total PCB and congener concentrations vary more with air temperature at Carter where PCB are evaporating from surfaces during warmer weather. The slopes of the Clausius-Clapeyron plots of 18 of the most concentrated congeners representing dichloro- through heptachlorobiphenyl homologues are significantly higher at the Carter site. While some of the atmospheric PCB at Mars Hill is derived from ground surface evaporation, the source of much of it apparently is the material buried in the landfills, which has different thermal properties than surface materials and is not in equilibrium with air temperature.

Hospitalization Rates for Coronary Heart Disease in Relation to Residence Near Areas Contaminated with Persistent Organic Pollutants and Other Pollutants

“…Consumption of contaminated fish is an important route of exposure to PCBs and dioxins, but even persons who engage in sports fishing are not defined by ZIP code of residence. There is increasing evidence that although PCBs and other POPs are not as volatile as some other organic pollutants, they are present in air at high levels around contaminated sites (Hermanson et al 2004), and they can be absorbed from air and cause biologic effects in animals (Casey et al 1999; Imsilp et al 2005). POPs also bind to particulates, which can spread to nearby residences by air currents and can be either breathed in or unintentionally ingested.…”

Blood pressure and hypertension in relation to levels of serum polychlorinated biphenyls in residents of Anniston, Alabama

“…Residents of Anniston have been found to have elevated levels of PCBs [15][16][17][18], but these elevations have not been found tightly correlated with either employment at Monsanto or consumption of local fish or produce [17,18]. Significant release and spread of PCBs in Anniston has occurred via air transport [19,20] and movement of contaminated soils and water [21][22][23]. However, to date there has been little systematic study of the health of PCB-exposed residents of Anniston.…”

Exposure to and health effects of volatile PCBs

“…PCBs can also volatilize from landfills, depending upon how tightly they are covered (10). Hermanson et al (11) studied air PCB concentrations near a Monsanto landfill in Anniston, Alabama, the site of a PCB synthesis factory, and compared results to those from a nearby site that had superficial soil PCB contamination. They found less dependence on surface temperature for PCB release to air from the landfill, and suggested that most of the sources of PCBs from the landfill site were materials buried within the landfill.…”