TY - JOUR

T1 - Latitudinal Gradient of Airborne Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances in the Marine Atmosphere between Germany and South Africa (53° N−33° S)

AU - Jahnke, Annika

AU - Berger, Urs

AU - Ebinghaus, Ralf

AU - Temme, Christian

PY - 2007/5/1

Y1 - 2007/5/1

N2 - Neutral, volatile polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) were determined in high-volume air samples collected onboard the German research vessel Polarstern during cruise ANTXXIII-1 between Bremerhaven, Germany (53° N) and Capetown, Republic of South Africa (33° S) in fall 2005. An optimized and validated analytical protocol was used for the determination of several fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) as well as N-alkylated fluorooctane sulfonamides and sulfonamidoethanols (FOSAs/FOSEs). Quantitative analyses were done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This study provides the first concentration data of airborne PFAS from the Southern Hemisphere. Results indicate a strongly decreasing concentration gradient from the European continent toward less industrialized regions. The study confirms that airborne PFAS are mainly restricted to the Northern Hemisphere with a maximum concentration of 190 pg/m3 (8:2 FTOH) in the first sample collected in the channel between the European mainland and the UK. However, south of the equator, trace amounts of several FOHs and FOSAs with a maximum of 14 pg/m3 (8:2 FOH) could still be detected. Furthermore, a selection of ionic PFAS including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) were determined in the particulate phase of high-volume air samples by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Levels of ionic PFAS were almost 2 orders of magnitude lower than those of neutral PFAS, with maximum concentrations in the first sample of 2.5 pg/m3 (PFOS) and 2.0 pg/m3 (PFOA). © 2007 American Chemical Society.

AB - Neutral, volatile polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) were determined in high-volume air samples collected onboard the German research vessel Polarstern during cruise ANTXXIII-1 between Bremerhaven, Germany (53° N) and Capetown, Republic of South Africa (33° S) in fall 2005. An optimized and validated analytical protocol was used for the determination of several fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) as well as N-alkylated fluorooctane sulfonamides and sulfonamidoethanols (FOSAs/FOSEs). Quantitative analyses were done by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This study provides the first concentration data of airborne PFAS from the Southern Hemisphere. Results indicate a strongly decreasing concentration gradient from the European continent toward less industrialized regions. The study confirms that airborne PFAS are mainly restricted to the Northern Hemisphere with a maximum concentration of 190 pg/m3 (8:2 FTOH) in the first sample collected in the channel between the European mainland and the UK. However, south of the equator, trace amounts of several FOHs and FOSAs with a maximum of 14 pg/m3 (8:2 FOH) could still be detected. Furthermore, a selection of ionic PFAS including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) were determined in the particulate phase of high-volume air samples by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Levels of ionic PFAS were almost 2 orders of magnitude lower than those of neutral PFAS, with maximum concentrations in the first sample of 2.5 pg/m3 (PFOS) and 2.0 pg/m3 (PFOA). © 2007 American Chemical Society.

KW - Chemistry

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34248149528&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/801369da-788b-309f-a4e1-aa0a0bbc53ca/

U2 - 10.1021/es062389h

DO - 10.1021/es062389h

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 41

SP - 3055

EP - 3061

JO - Environmental Science & Technology

JF - Environmental Science & Technology

SN - 0013-936X

IS - 9

ER -