Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-furans (PCDF) are widely distributed in the environment. The diverse production processes that form these compounds lead to a range of chemical signatures although weathering may cause changes to these signature over time and with increasing distance from their origin. Chemical signatures in sediments based on 17 PCDD/Fs were developed in Concepcion, a Chilean city in the middle of a complex hydrological system which contains several small urban freshwater bodies and the River Bio-Bio. The region has numerous industrial and domestic activities that may contribute PCDD/Fs to the environment. Sediments from urban lakes had higher concentrations of dioxins and furans (mean=941ng·kg-1) than either a remote lake (335ng·kg-1) located 32km from the city or marine samples (mean=124ng·kg-1). Up to 85% of the compounds present in all sediment samples could be explained by the chemical signature associated with airborne particulates leaving only 15-30% of the chemical signature potentially arising from other sources. The remote lake had higher proportions of the less-chlorinated compounds compared to the urban samples.
Keywords: Atmospheric deposition; Chile; Dioxins and furans; Environmental forensics; Fingerprint; Región del Biobío; Sediment.
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