title: Assessing levels and seasonal variations of current-use pesticides (CUPs) in the Tuscan atmosphere, Italy, using polyurethane foam disks (PUF) passive air samplers.
abstract: Polyurethane foam disks (PUF) passive air samplers (PAS) were deployed over 4 sampling periods of 3-5-months (≥ 1 year) at ten urban and rural locations throughout the Tuscany Region. The purpose was to assess the occurrence and seasonal variations of ten current-use pesticides (CUPs). PUF disk extracts were analyzed using GC-MS. The organophosphates insecticides; chlorpyrifos (3-580 pg m(-3)) and chlorpyrifos-methyl (below detection limit - to 570 pg m(-3)) presented the highest levels in air, and showed seasonal fluctuation coinciding with the growing seasons. The relative proportion urban/(urban + rural) ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 showing no differences between urban and rural concentrations. Air back trajectories analysis showed air masses passing over agricultural fields and potentially enhancing the drift of pesticides into the urban sites. This study represents the first information regarding CUPs in the atmosphere of Tuscany region using PAS-PUF disk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy; RECETOX, Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Victor H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Estellano
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy; RECETOX, Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica Santísima Concepción, Alonso de Ribera 2850, P.C. 407 01 29, Concepción, Chile. Electronic address: kpozo@ucsc.cl.
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pozo
authors.affiliation: RECETOX, Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Efstathiou
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Longitudinal Norte S/ N, de la Ciudad de Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Katerine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pozo
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corsolini
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Focardi
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007558:Italy; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000737:chemistry; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D010575:Pesticides; D011140:Polyurethanes; C028279:polyurethane foam
keywords: Air back trajectories; Organoposphates insecticides (OPI); Passive air sampling; Urban and rural sites