Siloxanes in Global Air and UV Filters in Urban Air

SAINI AMANDEEP; CHINNADHURAI SITA; HARNER TOM; LUTZ AHRENS; PEGORARO CÉSAR N; SCHUSTER JASMIN

Dublin

Congreso; 30th SETAC EUROPE ANNUAL MEETING; 2020

Setac Europe

In the 2017 sampling year of the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network, sorbent impregnated polyurethane foam disk (SIP disk) samplers were deployed at all sites to investigate the spatial distribution and patterns of linear and cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes (LVMS and CVMS, respectively).LVMS, on an average, contributed 70% of the total. The results reflect the importance of the ?human emission signature? of siloxanes from urban areas due to use of personal care products and industrial products (e.g.sealants, polymers) that contain siloxanes as well as emissions from the waste sector (waste water treatment plants (WWTPs), landfills). Similar to siloxanes, Ultraviolet (UV) filters are another class of chemicals used widely in personal care products, such as sunscreens and lotions, as well as in some industrial applications such as paints and polymers. UV filters have been shown to be strongly associated with emissions to air from WWTPs and are gaining importance as emerging pollutants. To address the limited information on UV filters in air in Canada,a retrospective analysis was conducted using high volume air samples (n=70) collected over a 1-year period in Toronto during 2010-2011. Samples were collected using a sampling train comprising glass fibre filters for particle sampling, followed by a PUF/XAD resin cartridge for trapping gas-phase chemicals. UV filters were detected in both the gas- and particle-phase but dominant in the gas-phase (>90%). Concentrations in air showed a strong seasonality (Clausius-Capeyron relationship) with peak concentrations during the warmest months. Geometric mean concentrations (pg/m3, n=70) of the dominant UV filters were: 87 for HMS(homosalate), 71 for EHS (2-ethylhexyl salicylate), 41 for E-EHMC (2-ethylhexyl trans-4-methoxycinnamate),33 for Z-EHMC (2-ethylhexyl cis-4-methoxycinnamate), 12 for 4-MBC (3-(4-methylbenzylidene) camphor)and 8.7 for BP-3 (benzophenone-3). These data contribute to chemical assessment and highlight the importance of urban areas as emission sources to air.