title: Feasibility of using low density polyethylene sheets to detect atmospheric organochlorine pesticides in Alexandria, Egypt.
abstract: Egypt is a major agricultural country in Africa with a known past of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) application, yet data on atmospheric levels of OCPs in Egypt is sparse. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) passive samplers were therefore deployed for 3 weeks each at 11 locations in July, 2010 and January, 2011 in Alexandria to screen for gas-phase OCPs. Performance reference compounds were used to investigate the uptake kinetics. Field-derived sampler-air partitioning coefficients (KPE-As) for OCPs were significantly correlated against the compounds' subcooled liquid vapor pressure (log PL): [log KPE-A = -0.77 ± 0.07 log PL + 6.35 ± 0.13 (R(2) = 0.90; n = 17; SE = 0.19; p < 0.001)]. Estimated and measured OCP concentrations in Alexandria agreed well (factor difference ≤ 2) indicating the feasibility of monitoring OCPs using LDPEs. OCP concentrations ranged from <LOD to 168 pg/m(3). Calculated isomeric ratios indicated recent usage of chlordanes and endosulfans.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882, United States. mohabdel@mail.uri.edu
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khairy
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lohmann
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004534:Egypt; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D020959:Polyethylene
keywords: Egypt; Organochlorine pesticides; Partitioning constants; Passive sampling; Sources