Atmospheric Outflow of Anthropogenic Semivolatile Organic Compounds from East Asia in Spring 2004

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 41; no. 10; pp. 3551 - 3558
• Main Authors: Primbs, Toby, Simonich, Staci, Schmedding, David, Wilson, Glenn, Jaffe, Dan, Takami, Akinori, Kato, Shungo, Hatakeyama, Shiro, Kajii, Yoshizumi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 15.05.2007
• Subjects: 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; AEROSOLS; AIR POLLUTION; AIR SAMPLERS; Applied sciences; ASIA; Atmosphere - chemistry; Atmospheric pollution; CARBON; CARBON MONOXIDE; CARCINOGENS; CHINA; CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS; COAL; COKING PLANTS; COMBUSTION PRODUCTS; Correlation analysis; CYCLOALKANES; DDT; EMISSION; Emissions; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; Exact sciences and technology; Far East; Humans; JAPAN; LONG-RANGE TRANSPORT; MERCURY; Meteorological Concepts; METEOROLOGY; NITROGEN OXIDES; Organic Chemicals - analysis; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; PARTICULATES; PCB; PESTICIDES; Pesticides - analysis; Pollutants; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; POLLUTION SOURCES; POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS; Regression Analysis; REPUBLIC OF KOREA; RUSSIAN FEDERATION; SAMPLING; Seasons; SULFUR DIOXIDE; Time Factors; TRANSFRONTIER POLLUTION; VOCs; VOLATILE MATTER; Volatile organic compounds; Volatilization; WOOD FUELS; Asia; Far East; Japan; Okinawa; Korea, Rep; ISEW, Japan, Nansei-shoto, Okinawa; China, People's Rep; INW, Russia; INW, Korea, Rep; Japan, Nansei-shoto, Okinawa; Russia; Persistent organic pollutant; Emission inventory; Source localization; Long range pollutant transport; Pollution source; Air pollution; Molecular marker; Low volatile compound; Pollutant emission; Organic compounds; Anthropogenic factor
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es062256w

To estimate the emissions of anthropogenic semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) from East Asia and to identify unique SOC molecular markers in Asian air masses, high-volume air samples were collected on the island of Okinawa, Japan between 22 March and 2 May 2004. Contributions from different source regions (China, Japan, the Koreas, Russia, and ocean/local) were estimated by use of source region impact factors (SRIFs). Elevated concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorcyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), and particulate-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were attributed to air masses from China. A large proportion of the variation in the current-use pesticides, gas-phase PAHs, and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations was explained by meteorology. Chlordanes showed a technical mixture profile and similar concentrations regardless of source region. α/γ HCH and trans/cis chlordane ratios did not vary significantly with different source regions and had regional averages of 2.5 ± 1.0 and 1.2 ± 0.3, respectively. Particulate-phase PAH concentrations were significantly correlated (p value < 0.05) with other incomplete combustion byproduct concentrations, including elemental mercury (Hg0), CO, NO x *, black carbon, submicrometer aerosols, and SO2. By use of measured PAH, CO, and black carbon concentrations and estimated CO and black carbon emission inventories, the emission of six carcinogenic particulate-phase PAHs was estimated to be 1518−4179 metric tons/year for Asia and 778−1728 metric tons/year for China, respectively. These results confirm that East Asian outflow contains significant emissions of carcinogenic particulate-phase PAHs.