Atmospheric Occurrence and Deposition of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and Dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the Open Mediterranean and Black Seas

Very limited information is available on ambient levels and occurrence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, these data have been mainly acquired from coastal areas and few or no experimental data has been reported up-to-date far from the shore line (open waters) for this ecosystem. PCDD/Fs are a group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which have been described as potent toxics exhibiting a wide range of adverse effects in biota and humans. In this work we report results on ambient levels of PCDD/Fs in air and water and discuss their atmospheric occurrence and deposition. Two sampling cruises were performed on June 2006 and May 2007 on board of the oceanographic vessel B/O García del Cid (CSIC). In both campaigns, Barcelona was the initial and final port, with Istanbul and Alexandria being the intermediate stops respectively. A total of 44 Integrated air samples (particulate + gas phase) and 22 water samples (particulate + dissolved phases) were collected mostly along the Mediterranean but also in the Black sea. ¿2,3,7,8-PCDD/F air concentrations over the Mediterranean Sea ranged from 60 to 1040 fg m-3. The transect encompassing the Marmara and Black Seas exhibited a highest PCDD/F concentration of 1560 fg m-3. Atmospheric concentrations were low but in general higher that those reported for some background/remote or pristine areas around the world. Open water concentrations were extremely low (42 to 64 fg L-1) and for many of the samples values were below LOD. Back trajectories calculations together with flux estimations, currently under analysis, will help to understand the occurrence of these POPs and will provide the first estimation of the PCDD/Fs atmospheric inputs to Mediterranean open waters

CASTRO-JIMÉNEZ J.;  EISENREICH S.J.;  MARIANI Giulio;  SKEJO Helle;  UMLAUF Gunther;  WOLLGAST Jan;  ZALDIVAR COMENGES Jose';  BERROJALBIZ N.;  DACHS J.; 

2010-07-16

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC)

JRC55986

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC55986,