Gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PCNs and PAHs

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Abstract

In a study to establish the baseline contamination of the environment prior to the start-up of a new municipal incinerator, air samples were collected continuously over a period of one year at eight locations in southern Bavaria. The air samples were analysed in six week intervals for the particle bound and gaseous concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), biphenyls (PCBs) and naphthalenes (PCNs) as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The logarithms of the particle/gas partition coefficients (K(p)) were closely correlated with the inverse mean ambient temperature (r2 > 0.9 in most cases). When log K(p) at 25°C was plotted vs. the logarithm of the compounds' subcooled liquid vapour pressure (P(L)), the investigated compounds separated out into two groups. Within each of the two groups a linear correlation between K(p) and P(L) was observed, but for the PAHs and PCNs the particle bound fractions were always considerably higher than for the PCDD/Fs and PCBs with comparable P(L). These differences indicate that P(L) is not a good parameter for describing the interchemical variability in gas/particle partitioning. Log K(p) was also plotted against the logarithm of the octanol/air partition coefficient (K(OA)), and in this case the different chemical groups did not separate out on the plot. This suggests that K(OA) may be a better descriptor of partitioning behaviour for these substances. However, the r2 for the log K(p) vs. log K(OA) plot was identical to that for the log K(p) vs. log P(L) plot (0.77), and hence no conclusions could be drawn about the relative utility of the two properties. Future improvements in the K(OA) data base may help to resolve this issue.

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Kaupp, H., & McLachlan, M. S. (1999). Gas/particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PCNs and PAHs. Chemosphere, 38(14), 3411–3421. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0045-6535(98)00554-2

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