TY - JOUR

T1 - Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Zurich, Switzerland

T2 - Atmospheric Concentrations and Emissions

AU - Diefenbacher, Pascal S.

AU - Bogdal, Christian

AU - Gerecke, Andreas C.

AU - Glüge, Juliane

AU - Schmid, Peter

AU - Scheringer, Martin

AU - Hungerbühler, Konrad

PY - 2015/8/18

Y1 - 2015/8/18

N2 - Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are of concern due to their potential for adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, persistence, and long-range transport. Data on concentrations of SCCPs in urban areas and underlying emissions are still scarce. In this study, we investigated the levels and spatial distribution of SCCPs in air, based on two separate, spatially resolved sampling campaigns in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. SCCP concentrations in air ranged from 1.8 to 17 ng·m–3 (spring 2011) and 1.1 to 42 ng·m–3 (spring 2013) with medians of 4.3 and 2.7 ng·m–3, respectively. Both data sets show that atmospheric SCCP levels in Zurich can vary substantially and may be influenced by a number of localized sources within this urban area. Additionally, continuous measurements of atmospheric concentrations performed at one representative sampling site in the city center from 2011 to 2013 showed strong seasonal variations with high SCCP concentrations in summer and lower levels in winter. A long-term dynamic multimedia environmental fate model was parametrized to simulate the seasonal trends of SCCP concentrations in air and to back-calculate urban emissions. Resulting annual SCCP emissions in the city of Zurich accounted for 218–321 kg, which indicates that large SCCP stocks are present in urban areas of industrialized countries.

AB - Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are of concern due to their potential for adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, persistence, and long-range transport. Data on concentrations of SCCPs in urban areas and underlying emissions are still scarce. In this study, we investigated the levels and spatial distribution of SCCPs in air, based on two separate, spatially resolved sampling campaigns in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. SCCP concentrations in air ranged from 1.8 to 17 ng·m–3 (spring 2011) and 1.1 to 42 ng·m–3 (spring 2013) with medians of 4.3 and 2.7 ng·m–3, respectively. Both data sets show that atmospheric SCCP levels in Zurich can vary substantially and may be influenced by a number of localized sources within this urban area. Additionally, continuous measurements of atmospheric concentrations performed at one representative sampling site in the city center from 2011 to 2013 showed strong seasonal variations with high SCCP concentrations in summer and lower levels in winter. A long-term dynamic multimedia environmental fate model was parametrized to simulate the seasonal trends of SCCP concentrations in air and to back-calculate urban emissions. Resulting annual SCCP emissions in the city of Zurich accounted for 218–321 kg, which indicates that large SCCP stocks are present in urban areas of industrialized countries.

KW - Chemistry

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84939636685&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.5b02153

DO - 10.1021/acs.est.5b02153

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 26226557

AN - SCOPUS:84939636685

VL - 49

SP - 9778

EP - 9786

JO - Environmental Science & Technology

JF - Environmental Science & Technology

SN - 0013-936X

IS - 16

ER -