Continuing sources of PCBs: the significance of building sealants.
To investigate the significance of building sealants as a remaining source of PCBs to the environment a combined measurement campaign and GIS-based stock estimation were undertaken for Toronto, Canada. This showed that 14% of buildings measured had detectable quantities of PCBs present in sealants, with concentrations from 0.57 mg/g to 82 mg/g (n=95). We then constructed a GIS-based database of remaining PCB-containing sealants in Toronto. This showed that there is an estimated 13 t still present in the city. Mass balance calculations showed that up to 9% had been lost via volatilization alone. This potentially has important implications for both human exposure and the continued presence of PCBs in the environment.
Robson
Matthew
M
Department of Geography, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. matthewrobson@hotmail.com
Melymuk
Lisa
L
Csiszar
Susan A
SA
Giang
Amanda
A
Diamond
Miriam L
ML
Helm
Paul A
PA
D003252:Construction Materials / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls