Atmospheric Input of POPs into Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy): PBDEs Concentrations and Profile in Air, Precipitation, Settling Material and Sediments

Large lakes are sinks for many chemical pollutants but the role of the atmosphere in delivering PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) is not well known. In this study we estimated inputs of PBDEs from the atmosphere to Lake Maggiore and the delivery via settling material to accumulated bottom sediments. Sampling consisted of one simultaneous week of air and bulk deposition during the spring 2005, an integrated 4 month period of collected settling material (via sediment trap), and superficial bottom sediments near the sediment trap deployment and tributary mouths of the lake. Concentration of total PBDEs (∑8) in the sediments ranged between 0.06 and 27 ng g-1, and two different patterns were observed. One pattern was dominated by the congeners BDE-47 and BDE-99 and a second one dominated by BDE-209 suggesting input from local source(s). Total PBDEs in air were 107pg m-3 with a pattern dominated by BDE-47. The deposition rate of total PBDEs for precipitation was estimated to be 17.6 ng m-2 where BDE-209 exhibited the highest concentration. For aquatic settling material the flux was 5.7 ng m-2 and was dominated by congeners BDE-47 and BDE-99. The comparison of fluxes in bulk deposition and settling material revealed a good match for lower brominated congeners, while lower fluxes in settling material were observed for higher brominated PBDEs. This suggests different sedimentation processes among congeners and/or the presence of local source that influence the relative distribution in water column.

MARIANI Giulio;  CANUTI Elisabetta;  CASTRO JIMENEZ Javier;  CHRISTOPH Eugen;  EISENREICH Steven;  HANKE Georg;  SKEJO Helle;  UMLAUF Gunther; 

2008-08-19

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

JRC33110

0045-6535,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC33110,   

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.02.071,