PARENT SESSION
WA4 - Passive Samplers for POPs
Chair: Harner, Tom1, 1 Environment Canada, Downsview, ON
Co-chair: Jones, Kevin2, 2 Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ
8:00 AM to 12:00 PM - Wednesday, 20 November 2002
Room Ballroom F
(518) Passive Air Sampling for POPs on an Urban-Rural Transect north of L. Ontario.
Harner, Tom*,1, Shoeib, Mahiba1, Farrar, Nick1,2, Stern, Gary3, Ikonomou, Michael4, Gobas, Frank5, Jones, Kevin2, Diamond, Miriam6, 1 Environment Canada, Meteorological Service of Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada2 Lancaster University, Environmental Science, Lancaster, Lancashire, United Kingdom3 Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada4 Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada5 Simon Fraser University, School of Resource and Environmental Management, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada6 University of Toronto, Department of Geography, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
ABSTRACT- Passive air samplers provide a cost effective and logistically feasible means for conducting mapping campaigns for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Two types of passive samplers (SPMDs - semipermeable membrane devices and PUF - polyurethane foam discs) were deployed at nine sites over four, four month sampling periods on an urban-rural transect that originates at the north shore of L. Ontario in Toronto and extends north over an 80 km distance. Conventional high volume air samples were also collected at some sites. Targeted POP classes included PCBs, OC pesticides, PAHs, alkanes and PBDEs. Passive samplers were also deployed at six heights (30m to 400m) on the CN Tower, over three, one-week periods using a third type of passive sampler - POGS (polymer-coated glass surfaces). The design, development and calibration of each type of sampler is discussed. Preliminary results demonstrate urban-rural differences for some POPs - for instance a strong fractionation of the PCB profile is observed along the gradient and levels of PCBs and PAHs were approximately ten time greater in urban versus rural areas. PBDEs showed higher levels in the spring period compared to the following summer. The spring period also exhibited a strong rural-urban gradient. This is consistent with "spring pulse" phenomenon which has recently been accociated with PBDEs. Qualititative and quantitative interpretation of the passive sampling data highlights the practicality of this type of sampling approach.
Key words: Passive samplers, SPMD, PUF disc, PBDE