Temporal trends of polychlorinated biphenyls in precipitation and air at chicago.
Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in precipitation (1997-2003) and in the atmospheric gas phase (1996-2003) collected in Chicago, IL, are reported. These data were obtained as part of the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network. For comparison, PCB concentrations at a remote site, Sleeping Bear Dunes on the northeastern shore of Lake Michigan, are also reported. Much higher PCB concentrations in both precipitation (7.1 +/- 0.9 ng/L) and the gas phase (1.4 +/- 0.1 ng/m3) at Chicago compared to Sleeping Bear Dunes (1.1 +/- 0.1 ng/L and 0.1 +/- 0.08 ng/m3, respectively) indicate that Chicago is a source of PCBs to the Great Lakes. A long-term decreasing trend of PCB concentrations in precipitation was observed at Chicago with a half-life of 6.8 +/- 3.1 years. The corresponding half-life for PCB concentrations in the gas phase was 7.7 +/- 1.1 years. The significant long-term decrease of PCB concentrations in precipitation and the gas phase in Chicago suggests that regulatory efforts are working, at least in this city.
School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405 USA.
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Hites
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002641:Chicago; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011891:Rain / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
D000393:Air Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls