Polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in street dust of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 511; pp. 72 - 81
• Main Authors: Klees, Marcel, Hiester, Ernst, Bruckmann, Peter, Molt, Karl, Schmidt, Torsten C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.04.2015
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Benzofurans - analysis; Dioxins - analysis; dl-PCBs; Dust; Dust - analysis; Environmental Monitoring; Extraction; Germany; Homologue pattern; Homology; Particle size; PCBs; PCDD/Fs; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Rural areas; Secondary source; Street dust; Streets; Toxicity; Urban areas; Germany; PCBs; Particle size; dl-PCBs; Homologue pattern; Street dust; Secondary source; PCDD/Fs
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.018

In this study the occurrence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDDs/PCDFs) in street dust samples was investigated using pressurized liquid extraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Street dust samples were taken from rural, urban, industrial and industrially influenced urban areas. PCB6 concentrations ranged from 5090±2200μg/kg (average±standard error of mean) in dusts from industrial premises to 29±8.7μg/kg in rural areas. Concentration ranges were for dioxin-like PCB toxicity equivalents (dl-PCB TEQ) from 362±164ng/kg (industrial premises) to 6.5±1.8ng/kg (rural areas), and for PCDD/PCDF TEQ from 503±448ng/kg to 2.4±0.13ng/kg, respectively. Area concentrations of PCB6 (0.040μg/m2–22μg/m2), dl-PCB TEQ (0.0038ng/m2–2.6ng/m2) and PCDD/PCDF TEQs (14pg/m2–1980pg/m2) were estimated. Furthermore, particle size related concentrations of PCBs and PCDD/PCDFs in street dusts were analysed showing throughout almost all samples a distinctive trend of increasing concentrations with decreasing particle sizes. Characterization of homologue patterns of PCBs and PCDDs/PCDFs in street dusts was performed showing a dependence of homologue patterns on different area types, especially for PCBs. It could be demonstrated that the analysis of concentrations in combination with specific homologue patterns of PCBs and PCDDs/PCDFs in street dust samples enables allocation of potential emission sources. [Display omitted] •Street dust has been found a valuable and naturally available passive sampler for PCBs and PCDDs/PCDFs.•PCB and PCDD/PCDF data for street dust samples in different potential source areas are provided.•An inverse log-linear relation of particle size and concentration was found.•Homologue patterns of PCBs and PCDDs/PCDFs supported apportionment to industrial emissions.