Gas-particle partitioning of persistent organic pollutants in the Western Balkan countries affected by war conflicts

Background, aim, and scope Bombing and destruction of the industrial and military targets accompanied by complete or incomplete combustion during the war conflict and NATO operation in former Yugoslavia caused the emission of persistent organic pollutants into the atmosphere, water, and soil. A total of 129 ambient air samples from 24 background, urban, and industrial sites, including hot spots, were collected to assess a gas-particle partitioning behavior of various persistent organic pollutants. Materials and methods High volume sampling technique was applied with quartz filters that collect the atmospheric particles and polyurethane foam filters (PUF) that retain the gaseous compounds. Three to ten samples were taken at each site. GFs and PUFs were analyzed separately for their content of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Results Gas phase and particle phase concentrations of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in all samples were converted into the particle-bound fractions [Greek Phi symbol]. These fractions were found to be highly variable, but generally highest in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the elevated levels of total suspended material in ambient air. Discussion Experimental values of particle-associated fraction were compared to the Junge-Pankow model. Interestingly, a model for urban/industrial environments provided a better prediction of partitioning behavior than a model for background and rural background sites. That is probably because the total amount of atmospheric particles is higher in the Balkan region than found in the previously published studies. Conclusions Even though it has been stated in previous studies that less than 5% of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are bound to the particles, up to 67% of PCBs were particle associated at several sampling sites in this study. PCB-contaminated soils are probably still one of the strong sources of particles to the atmosphere. Recommendations and perspectives Information on the particle-bound fractions of POPs is important not only for prediction of their fate but also for an estimation of risks they can pose to the environment as well as to humans. When assessing such hazards, it has to be considered that modeled values of the particle-bound fractions can be seriously underestimated at sites with elevated levels of suspended atmospheric matter or at sites with heavily contaminated soils.