Assessing PCDD/Fs in air across Latin American countries using PUF disk passive air samplers

JASMIN K. SCHUSTER; TOM HARNER; GILBERTO FILLMANN; LUTZ AHRENS; JORGELINA C. ALTAMIRANO; BEATRIZ ARISTIZÁBAL; WANDERLEY BASTOS; LUISA EUGENIA CASTILLO; JOHANA CORTÉS; OSCAR FENTANES; ALEXEY GUSEV; MARICRUZ HERNANDEZ; MARTIN VILLA IBARRA; NERINA B. LANA; SUM CHI LEE; ANA PATRICIA MARTINEZ; KARINA S. B. MIGLIORANZA; ANDREA PADILLA PUERTA; FEDERICO SEGOVIA; MAY SIU; MARIA YUMIKO TOMINAGA

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

Lugar: Washington; Año: 2015

0013-936X

A passive air sampling network has been established to investigate polychlorinated dibenzopdioxins(PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) at Global AtmosphericPassive Sampling (GAPS) sites and six additional sites in the Group of Latin American andCaribbean Countries (GRULAC) region. The air sampling network covers background,agricultural, rural, and urban sites. Samples have been collected over four consecutiveperiods of 6 months, which started in January 2011 [period 1 (January to June 2011), period2 (July to December 2011), period 3 (January to June 2012), and period 4 (July 2012 toJanuary 2013)]. Results show that (i) the GAPS passive samplers (PUF disk type) andanalytical methodology are adequate for measuring PCDD/F burdens in air and (ii) PCDD/Fconcentrations in air across the GRULAC region are widely variable by almost 2 orders ofmagnitude. The highest concentrations in air of Σ4?8PCDD/Fs were found at the urban siteSão Luis (Brazil, UR) (i.e., 2560 fg/m3) followed by the sites in São Paulo (Brazil, UR),Mendoza (Argentina, RU), and Sonora (Mexico, AG) with values of 1690, 1660, and 1610fg/m3, respectively. Very low concentrations of PCDD/Fs in air were observed at thebackground site Tapanti (Costa Rica, BA), 10.8 fg/m3. This variability is attributed todifferences in site characteristics and potential local/regional sources as well asmeteorological influences. The measurements of PCDD/Fs in air agree well with modelpredictedconcentrations performed using the Global EMEP Multimedia Modeling System(GLEMOS) and emission scenario constructed on the basis