title: Polychlorinated Biphenyls in a Temperate Alpine Glacier: 2. Model Results of Chemical Fate Processes.
abstract: We present results from a chemical fate model quantifying incorporation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Silvretta glacier, a temperate Alpine glacier located in Switzerland. Temperate glaciers, in contrast to cold glaciers, are glaciers where melt processes are prevalent. Incorporation of PCBs into cold glaciers has been quantified in previous studies. However, the fate of PCBs in temperate glaciers has never been investigated. In the model, we include melt processes, inducing elution of water-soluble substances and, conversely, enrichment of particles and particle-bound chemicals. The model is validated by comparing modeled and measured PCB concentrations in an ice core collected in the Silvretta accumulation area. We quantify PCB incorporation between 1900 and 2010, and discuss the fate of six PCB congeners. PCB concentrations in the ice core peak in the period of high PCB emissions, as well as in years with strong melt. While for lower-chlorinated PCB congeners revolatilization is important, for higher-chlorinated congeners, the main processes are storage in glacier ice and removal by particle runoff. This study gives insight into PCB fate and dynamics and reveals the effect of snow accumulation and melt processes on the fate of semivolatile organic chemicals in a temperate Alpine glacier.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich , CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Steinlin
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich , CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.|Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS , CH-8046 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bogdal
authors.affiliation: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) , CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.|Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) , CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland.|Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Berne , CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.|Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Berne , CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pavlina A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Pavlova
authors.affiliation: Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) , CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland.|Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Berne , CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.|Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Berne , CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Margit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwikowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Zurich , CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.|Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich , CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Lüthi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich , CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.|Environmental Chemistry and Substance Dynamics, Leuphana University Lüneburg , 21335 Lüneburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheringer
authors.affiliation: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) , CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.affiliation: Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich , CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hungerbühler
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D046448:Ice Cover / Q000737:chemistry*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D012914:Snow; D013557:Switzerland; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls