M5 PM Marine Environmental Chemistry of Organic Pollutants
Monday, 14 November 2005: 1:50 PM - 5:30 PM in 321-323

(LOH-1117-807374) POPs transport and partitioning on a transect from Northern Europe to the high Arctic.

Lohmann, R^{1, 2}, Nizetto, L³, Caba, A⁴, Xie, Z⁴, Temme, C⁴, Gioia, R⁵, Jones, KC⁵, Schulz-Bull, D⁶, ¹ University of Rhode Island² University of Bremen³ University of Insumbria⁴ GKSS⁵ Lancaster University⁶ Institute for Baltic Sea Research

ABSTRACT- Air and water samples were collected on the FS Polarstern in the summer of 2004, from ca. 54 °N (Bremerhaven, Germany) to the high Arctic (ca. 85 °N). 30 Water samples were collected via a stainless steel inlet at 10 m depth, with volumes ranging from 750 to 1500 L. Particle-bound organic contaminants were captured on glass fiber filters (GFFs), and dissolved compounds on XAD columns. Air samples were taken with high-volume air samplers on the top deck of the ship with a combination of GFFs followed by polyurethane foam plugs. Air volumes ranged from 240 to 840 m3. Care was taken to minimize contamination during air sampling; air samples were only taken with the wind coming from the bow in a 70° angle each side, and with relative wind speeds exceeding 3.5 m/s. Additionally, passive air samplers were deployed at key locations across the FS Polarstern to assess the potential of the ship's emissions to contaminate the samples. Water samples were analyzed for PAHs, PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), while air samples were also analyzed for total suspended particulates (TSP), organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) concentrations. Results of the passive air sample deployment on board showed some elevated concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs inside the ship, with the top deck being very clean. Water column concentrations displayed decreasing concentrations from South to North, especially for PAHs. Concentrations ranged from few ng/L near Europe to less than tens pg/L for selected PAHs. The concentration gradient was less pronounced for PCBs. Interestingly, a distince concentration gradient was apparent on an East-West axis, with relatively uniform concentrations both near Greenland and Norway, but lower concentrations in-between.

Key words: PAHs, PCBs, contamination, Arctic