PARENT SESSION
MA2 Chemical, Biological and Combined Methods for the Detection of Pollutants.
to ,
Session Chair: Diego Santiago Laguna

(018) Selective Trapping of Organochlorine Compounds in Mountain Lakes of Temperate areas.

Grimalt, Joan¹, Fernandez, Pilar¹, Berdie, Lourdes¹, Vilanova, Rosa¹, Catalan, Jordi², Psenner, Roland³, Hofer, Rudi³, Appleby, Peter⁴, Rosseland, Bjoern⁵, Lien, Leif⁵, ^{1 2 3 4 5}

ABSTRACT- The study of fish concentrations and sediment inventories in 19 European high mountain lakes (40-67N) shows that a fraction of organochlorine compounds (OCs), the less volatile compounds (LVC; sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure <= 10-2.5 Pa), selectively accumulate in the higher locations. This general trend is not significantly influenced by possible local sources. Compound distribution is related to average air temperatures. Thus, the phase-change pseudo enthalpies calculated from the sediment inventories closely match the summed theoretical volatilization and solubilization enthalpies. This fractionation effect is responsible for the accumulation of high concentrations of the LVC, the more persistent and toxic according to literature data, in organisms inhabiting sites far from the locations of synthesis or use.

Key words: organochlorine compounds, mountain lakes, fish, sediments