title: Ten years measuring PCDDs/PCDFs in ambient air in Catalonia (Spain).
abstract: This work summarizes the results of a ten year surveillance programme on PCDD/F in ambient air carried out in Catalonia (Spain). The study has been conducted by the Dioxin Laboratory of Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) in collaboration with the Environment Department of the Catalonian Government. 175 samples have been collected throughout Catalonia from 1994 to 2004. Different sampling locations classified as industrial, traffic, urban, suburban and rural sites have been monitored in order to find the most contaminated zones as well as the ones with expected background concentrations. The highest concentrations found in this study were determined at the industrial locations. Concentrations ranging from 5 to 1196 fg I-TEQ/m3, with a mean value of 140 fg I-TEQ/m3 and from 10 to 357 fg I-TEQ/m3, with a mean value of 72 fg I-TEQ/m3 were determined in industrial and traffic sampling points, respectively. In contrast, the lowest concentrations were found in rural stations, ranging from 5 to 45 fg I-TEQ/m3, with a mean value of 28 fg I-TEQ/m3. The PCDD/F concentration trend in Catalonian ambient air shown a clear drop of the median values occurred during the study sampling period. A decline of about 70% was observed from 1997-1998 to 2003-2004.
authors.affiliation: Mass Spectrometry Laboratory/Dioxin Laboratory, Department of Ecotechnologies, IIQAB-CSIC. Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abad
authors.forename: Karell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gustems
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guinart
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rivera
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D003625:Data Collection; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005843:Geography; D007220:Industrial Waste; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D012423:Rural Health; D013030:Spain; D018881:Suburban Health; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D007220:Industrial Waste; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins