title: Reductions and changing patterns of ambient PCDD/Fs in the UK: evidence and implications.
abstract: Archived herbage samples taken between the mid-1800s and the present day from the Park Grass permanent grassland experiment in the UK were analysed for PCDD/Fs. The concentrations of SigmaP((4-8))CDD/Fs ranged between 15 (in 2003-2004) and 320 pg/g (in 1963) and the SigmaTEQ ranged between 0.11 (2003-2004) and 2.4 pg/g in (1903). The underlying trend from the mid-1970s to the present is of a decline by about factor of 10, indicating a general reduction in the air concentration/deposition fluxes. The homologue pattern in samples from the first half of the 20th century was characterised by the lower (mono- to tri-) PCDFs, indicating the dominance of domestic wood/coal burning on the SigmaP((1-8))CDD/Fs signature. The second half of the 20th century saw a substantial decline in domestic wood/coal burning for space heating in the UK, but also the 'rise and fall' in the production/use of chloroaromatic compounds - notably pentachlorophenol (PCP). The isomer/homologue patterns for the 1960-2004 samples have a much lower contribution from the lower PCDFs and large contributions from the hepta and octa-CDDs. The possibility that these are related to PCP inputs via different routes is discussed. The UK - in line with other countries - has had a policy to reduce the environmental sources and the emissions of PCDD/Fs, by the introduction of new combustion control technologies and emissions standards. However, these were not introduced to specifically address PCDD/F emissions until the 1990s. The declines in PCDD/F levels in these samples: (a) pre-date the introduction of emission control measures on incinerators and other combustion sources in the UK; (b) appear to have been largely unaffected by them.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Science Department, Institute of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassanin
authors.forename: Robert G M
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins