Cited by 56Toxic Organic Pollutants ImpactPesticide and Herbicide Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology

Spatial Distribution, Air–Water Fugacity Ratios and Source Apportionment of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Lower Great Lakes Basin

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Khairy, Mohammed, Muir, Derek, Teixeira, Camilla, Lohmann, Rainer·2015·Environmental Science & Technology

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) continue to be contaminants of concern across the Great Lakes. It is unclear whether current concentrations are driven by ongoing primary emissions from their original uses, or whether ambient PCBs are dominated by their environmental cycling. Freely dissolved PCBs in air and water were measured using polyethylene passive samplers across Lakes Erie and Ontario during summer and fall, 2011, to investigate their spatial distribution, determine and apportion their sources and to asses their air–water exchange gradients. Average gaseous and freely dissolved ∑29 PCB concentrations ranged from 5.0 to 160 pg/m3 and 2.0 to 55 pg/L respectively. Gaseous concentrations were significantly correlated (R2 = 0.80) with the urban area within a 3−20 km radius. Fugacity ratios indicated that the majority of PCBs are volatilizing from the water thus acting as a secondary source for the atmosphere. Dissolved PCBs were probably linked to PCB emissions from contaminated sites and areas of concern. Positive matrix factorization indicated that although volatilized Aroclors (gaseous PCBs) and unaltered Aroclors (dissolved PCBs) dominate in some samples, ongoing non-Aroclor sources such as paints/pigments (PCB 11) and coal/wood combustion showed significant contributions across the lower Great Lakes. Accordingly, control strategies should give further attention to PCBs emitted from current use sources.

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  1. Jantunen, L. M.; Bidleman, T. F. Airwater gas exchange of toxaphene in Lake Superior. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2003, 22 (6), 1229-1237.

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Authors
Khairy, M., Muir, D., Teixeira, C., & Lohmann, R.
Affiliations
  • University of Rhode Island (US)
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada (CA)
Corresponding author
Lohmann, Rainer
Venue
Environmental Science & Technology
Published
2015-04-27
Volume
49
Issue
23
Pages
13787-13797
ISSN
  • 0013-936X (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-5851
OpenAlex
W2022296959
Cited by
56
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 3
FWCI
3.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Environmental Science & Technology (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Journal of Media Literacy Education (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (00E00597-0)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pesticide and Herbicide Environmental Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
Keywords
polychlorinated biphenyls, source apportionment, spatial distribution, air-water exchange, volatilization, Great Lakes, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Aroclor, positive matrix factorization, contaminated sites, urban emissions
MeSH terms
Air Pollutants, Aroclors, Environmental Monitoring, Great Lakes Region, Ontario, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Seasons, Volatilization, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Lakes, Spatio-Temporal Analysis

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