Concentration and gas/particle partitioning of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at an industrial site at Bursa, Turkey

Abstract

Gas and particle phase concentrations of atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured at an urban/industrial site in the city of Bursa, Turkey. PCB concentration levels were presented between July 2004 and May 2005. Average particle and gas phase concentrations of individual PCB congeners ranged from 0.08 (PCB-183) to 6.86 (PCB-49) pg m − 3 and from 0.01 (PCB-209) to 47.2 (PCB-33) pg m − 3 , respectively. The mean concentration of total (gas + particle) PCBs varied between 24.27 and 666.21 pg m − 3 with an average of 287.27 ± 174.80 pg m − 3 . PCB concentrations at the sampling site were higher than the concentrations reported at non-urban sites. PCBs partitioned between gas and particle phases and the partitioning was examined according to different approaches such as log K p–log P L o, log K p–log K OA and the Junge–Pankow model. In order to present possible interactions, a correlation matrix based on PCB congeners and meteorological parameters was constructed. Application of the Clausius–Clapeyron equation yielded a low slope value indicating possible emissions from local and regional sources originating mainly from urban/industrial areas, landfill and waste incineration plant. Then, likely dry deposition fluxes were estimated depending on reported dry deposition velocity and atmospheric concentration values.