Measurement of atmospheric deposition of polychlorinated biphenyls and their dry deposition velocities in an urban/industrial site in Turkey

Abstract

Dry deposition fluxes and total (gas+particle) concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured between August 2004 and May 2005. Samples were collected from an urban-industrial site of Bursa, Turkey. A stainless steel pot and a high volume air sampler (HVAS) were employed to collect deposition and ambient air samples, respectively. The dry deposition fluxes of PCBs ranged from 3600 to 56,000 pg m⁻² d⁻¹ while the total PCB concentrations collected simultaneously were between 35 and 348 pg m⁻³. The average dry deposition flux value was in line with the previously reported values. Possible variations in PCB fluxes were likely due to PCB and total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations, and meteorological conditions. No seasonal trends were observed for the bulk deposition samples. The 3- and 4- chlorobiphenyls (CBs) were abundant homolog groups in bulk and concentration samples with ratios of 67% and 90%, respectively. Apparent bulk deposition velocities were calculated by dividing the dry deposition flux value by particle phase air concentration values of PCBs measured with HVAS. The calculated apparent dry deposition velocities ranged from 0.23 cm s⁻¹ to 3.09 cm s⁻¹ (aver ± SD, 0.74 ± 0.23 cm s⁻¹).

Keywords:

• Atmospheric deposition
• bulk deposition
• PCBs
• deposition velocity

Acknowledgment

This study was partly supported by the Uludag University (Project No: 2002/90 and YUUP 111, 112). We would like to thank Dr. Mustafa Odabasi (Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Environmental Engineering) for his valuable support in GC-MS readings.

Notes

*These samples were collected at only day times.

*Assuming a concentration of 5 ng m⁻³ PCBs containing 20% A1254, and 50% of it would deposit.