title: Assessing polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in air across Latin American countries using polyurethane foam disk passive air samplers.
abstract: A passive air sampling network has been established to investigate polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) at Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) sites and six additional sites in the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC) region. The air sampling network covers background, agricultural, rural, and urban sites. Samples have been collected over four consecutive periods of 6 months, which started in January 2011 [period 1 (January to June 2011), period 2 (July to December 2011), period 3 (January to June 2012), and period 4 (July 2012 to January 2013)]. Results show that (i) the GAPS passive samplers (PUF disk type) and analytical methodology are adequate for measuring PCDD/F burdens in air and (ii) PCDD/F concentrations in air across the GRULAC region are widely variable by almost 2 orders of magnitude. The highest concentrations in air of Σ4-8PCDD/Fs were found at the urban site São Luis (Brazil, UR) (i.e., 2560 fg/m3) followed by the sites in São Paulo (Brazil, UR), Mendoza (Argentina, RU), and Sonora (Mexico, AG) with values of 1690, 1660, and 1610 fg/m3, respectively. Very low concentrations of PCDD/Fs in air were observed at the background site Tapanti (Costa Rica, BA), 10.8 fg/m3. This variability is attributed to differences in site characteristics and potential local/regional sources as well as meteorological influences. The measurements of PCDD/Fs in air agree well with model-predicted concentrations performed using the Global EMEP Multimedia Modeling System (GLEMOS) and emission scenario constructed on the basis of the UNEP Stockholm Convention inventory of dioxin and furan emissions.
authors: †Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada.
authors: Jasmin K
authors: JK
authors: Schuster
authors: †Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada.
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Harner
authors: ‡Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Instituto de Oceanografia, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
authors: Gilberto
authors: G
authors: Fillmann
authors: †Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada.
authors: Lutz
authors: L
authors: Ahrens
authors: §Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.|⊗Laboratorio de Quı́mica Ambiental, Instituto Argentino de Nivologı́a, Glaciologı́a y Ciencias Ambientales-CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors: Jorgelina C
authors: JC
authors: Altamirano
authors: ●Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales, Colombia.
authors: Beatriz
authors: B
authors: Aristizábal
authors: ∥Laboratório de Biogeoquı́mica Ambiental, Universidade Federal de Rondônia, Porto Velho, Brazil.
authors: Wanderley
authors: W
authors: Bastos
authors: ⊥Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances, Heredia, Costa Rica.
authors: Luisa Eugenia
authors: LE
authors: Castillo
authors: ●Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Manizales, Colombia.
authors: Johana
authors: J
authors: Cortés
authors: ∇CENICA/INE, Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico.
authors: Oscar
authors: O
authors: Fentanes
authors: @Meteorological Synthesizing Centre-East (MSC-E), Moscow, Russia.
authors: Alexey
authors: A
authors: Gusev
authors: #Ministerio del Ambiente de Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
authors: Maricruz
authors: M
authors: Hernandez
authors: %Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Cájeme, Cájeme, Sonora, Mexico.
authors: Martín Villa
authors: MV
authors: Ibarra
authors: §Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.|⊗Laboratorio de Quı́mica Ambiental, Instituto Argentino de Nivologı́a, Glaciologı́a y Ciencias Ambientales-CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.
authors: Nerina B
authors: NB
authors: Lana
authors: †Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada.
authors: Sum Chi
authors: SC
authors: Lee
authors: ∇CENICA/INE, Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico.
authors: Ana Patricia
authors: AP
authors: Martínez
authors: ○Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, CONICET, Mar el Plata, Argentina.
authors: Karina S B
authors: KS
authors: Miglioranza
authors: ◆Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Arauca, Colombia.
authors: Andrea Padilla
authors: AP
authors: Puerta
authors: #Ministerio del Ambiente de Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: Segovia
authors: May
authors: M
authors: Siu
authors: ■CETESB, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Maria Yumiko
authors: MY
authors: Tominaga
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001118:Argentina; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D001938:Brazil; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008800:Mexico; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D011140:Polyurethanes; C028279:polyurethane foam