PARENT SESSION

IP06 Passive Samplers for POPs
B115 & B116
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Tuesday

(IP046) A novel approach for investigating foliar uptake of organic pollutants through the use of 'synthetic' leaves.

Gouin, T¹, Harner, T², ¹ Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada² Environment Canada, Downsview, ON, Canada

ABSTRACT- Vegetation is believed to be an important environmental compartment for buffering air concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), as a result of exposing fresh surfaces for sorption through foliage growth. To investigate the possible significance of plant growth on air concentrations, several polymer coated glass samplers were deployed within a deciduous forest coinciding with the emergence of fresh new foliage. These samplers were left fully exposed to simulate exposure of fresh foliage to both wet and dry deposition. These 'synthetic' leaves were coated with three thicknesses of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) (50 m, 20 m and 2 m), and collected on a weekly basis for the first month, and thereafter on a monthly basis for the duration of the summer. Real leaves from sugar maple trees were collected on the same schedule and passive and active air samplers were used to assess ambient air concentrations. Samples were analysed for target chemicals that included polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Results from this study provide information on the kinetics and equilibrium of air-foliage transfer of contaminants. The use of 'synthetic' leaves simplifies this process and ultimately helps to improve our understanding of the role that vegetation plays in controlling ambient air concentrations of organic contaminants.

Key words: polybrominated diphenyl ethers, passive air samplers, forest filter, vegetation