title: Influence of long-range atmospheric transportation (LRAT) on mono-to octa-chlorinated PCDD/Fs levels and distributions in soil around Qinghai Lake, China.
abstract: Long-range atmospheric transportation (LRAT) of persistent organic pollutants followed by their deposition in cold, arid regions is of wide concern. This problem occurs at Qinghai Lake in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, a sparsely populated area with extreme weather conditions and little current or historical anthropogenic pollution. The concentrations and distribution patterns of the mono-to octa-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) congeners in surface soil samples collected from around Qinghai Lake were quantified. Concentration differences between low-(mono-to tri-) chlorinated PCDD/Fs and high-(tetra-to octa-) chlorinated PCDD/Fs were measured. High PCDD/F levels were detected, with total concentrations of 15,108 ± 6323 pg/g for the 27 PCDD/F congeners and 15,104 ± 6324 pg/g for the low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs. The concentrations of 17 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs were only 3.1 ± 4.4 pg/g and the corresponding international toxicity equivalency (I-TEQ) was 0.11 ± 0.22 pg I-TEQ/g. Given their higher vapor pressures and lower boiling points, low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs, were predominantly gaseous, whereas high-chlorinated PCDD/Fs were predominantly solid, indicating that there is a higher potential for long-range transport of low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs. Overall, because of their high LRAT potential, low-chlorinated PCDD/Fs may pose a greater risk to local ecosystems in cold, remote areas than high-chlorinated PCDD/Fs.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address: liuwb@rcees.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, Environmental Chemistry and Physics DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hans Chr Bruun
authors.initials: HCB
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Xuebin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Mengjing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D001272:Atmosphere / Q000737:chemistry*; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D054879:Halogenation; D060106:Lakes; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014186:Transportation
chemical_list: D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: Chlorinated PCDD/F; Cold region; Distribution characteristic; Qinghai Lake; Remote area