Field-measured uptake rates of PCDDs/Fs and dl-PCBs using PUF-disk passive air samplers in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Abstract

The collection of 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-ρ-dioxins and dibenzo furans (PCDDs/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs) using a polyurethane form (PUF)-disk passive air sampler (PAS) was investigated in urban-residential and industrial areas. This was performed to assess the feasibility of using this method as an alternative to an active air sampler (AAS). The PUF-disk PAS was exposed to ambient air over a period of 37-370 and 57-173 days in urban and industrial areas, respectively, together with AASs. The sum of total toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) ΣPCDDs/Fs and Σdl-PCB was typically high in the industrial area, with values within the range 0.171-0.635 pg-TEQ/m(3), and 0.037-0.300 pg-TEQ/m(3) in the urban-residential area. To derive the time-weighted average (TWA) concentration from the PAS data accurately, it was estimated that the PAS deployed for less than 80 days was adequate to maintain linear accumulation conditions. PCDDs/Fs are mainly particle bound and showed low average uptake rates of 1.4m(3)d(-1), while dl-PCBs were slightly higher with 2.0m(3)d(-1) because of its high vapor pressure. Most of the congener concentrations measured using the PAS and AAS were within a factor of two, indicating that PASs can be used to monitor spatial and temporal variations in the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the atmosphere.

Keywords: Dioxin like PCBs; PCDDs/Fs; PUF-disk; Passive sampling uptake rate.