title: Passive sampler-derived air concentrations for polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Kuwait.
abstract: The present study presents, to our knowledge, the first ambient air data for a range of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Kuwait. This was achieved by concurrently deploying polyurethane foam-disk passive samplers at 14 sites over a six-week period. Calculated mean sigma5PBDE concentrations (sum of brominated diphenyl ethers [BDEs] 47, 99, 100, 153, and 154) ranged from 2.5 to 32 pg/m3 of air, with BDE 47 contributing between 39 and 65% of the sigmaPBDEs detected. Differences in relative concentrations were observed between sites, with higher concentrations measured close to suspected sources. Calculated sigmaPAH concentrations ranged from 5 to 13 ng/m3 (mean, 8.3 ng/m3). The compound distribution was dominated by three- and four-ring compounds, which constituted approximately 90% of the sigmaPAHs, with phenanthrene contributing approximately 35%. However, the proportion of five- and six-ring PAHs increased around the "oil lakes," which were formed by the torching of oil wells during the 1991 Gulf War. The oil lakes are a reservoir of PAHs that will continue feeding the atmosphere as long as they remain untreated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Environment and Urban Development Division, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109 Safat, Kuwait. bgevao@safat.kisr.edu.kw
authors.forename: Bondi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gevao
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Omair
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sweetman
authors.forename: Lulwa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Al-Ali
authors.forename: Majed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Bahloul
authors.forename: Murad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Helaleh
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zafar
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D007730:Kuwait; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds