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Seasonality of PCDD/Fs in the ambient air of Malopolska Region, southern Poland

  • AREA 6.4 • PERSISTENT ORGANIC CHEMICALS • RESEARCH ARTICLE
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background, aim, and scope

The aim of the study was to identify the impact of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and furan (PCDD/F) emission sources on ambient air concentrations in the Malopolska Region, southern Poland. Three sites were selected: the city center of Krakow (Aleje), an industrial area (Nova Huta), and a rural site (Zakopane). In order to investigate the annual variations of PCDD/F sources, summer and winter time samples were taken.

Materials and methods

Ambient air particulate matter (PM10) was collected using an Anderson High-Volume sampler during June and December 2002 in the three mentioned sites. Analysis of PCDD/Fs was based on isotope dilution using high-resolution gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry for quantification.

Results and discussion

Total concentrations of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs in air particulate phase from Malopolska region ranged from 0.6 to 37 pg m−3 (0.04–3.2 pg WHO98-TEQ per cubic meter, 0.037–2.9 pg I-TEQ per cubic meter). Higher PCDD/F concentrations were measured at all three sites during winter. A linear correlation among PCDD/F concentrations, benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) and PM10 concentrations, was found in Aleje and Zakopane, which suggested that all compounds were originating from the same source, solid fuel domestic heating. Instead, PCDD/F levels in Nova Huta did not correlate with the seasonality of B(a)P or PM10 levels and 2,3,7,8-PCDD/F congener patterns for this site were significantly different from the other sites.

Conclusions

Domestic solid fuel combustion is likely the main PCDD/F source in winter in this part of Poland for urban and rural sites. PCDD/F fingerprints in the industrial site remained almost identical during summer and winter, confirming the yearly prevalence of the emissions from the nearby metal industry.

Recommendations and perspectives

PCDD/F concentrations found in Malopolska Region are in the upper range of ambient air concentrations of PCDD/Fs reported worldwide. However, further research is needed in order to study the impact of the deposition of these PCDD/F emissions on the region. A more extended study is being conducted in the area to analyze soil samples, such as sink of atmospheric deposition, and spruce needles, as indicator of PCDD/F availability.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Malopolski Voivodship (Inspectorate for Environmental Protection) for the providing the PM10 filters and B(a)P data; Kristina Kubica and Jiri Horak for providing the soot sample. In addition, we acknowledge Helle Skejo (IES-EC JRC) for assistance in the analyses and Anne Mueller (IES-EC JRC) for helpful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES), European Commission-Joint Research Center (JRC), Via Fermi 2749, 21027, Ispra, Italy

    Gunther Umlauf, Eugen H. Christoph, Giulio Mariani, Bostjan Paradiž & Ingrid Vives

  2. Directorate of Programs and Stakeholder Relations, European Commission-JRC, Rue de la loi 200, 1049, Brussels, Belgium

    Steven J. Eisenreich

  3. Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Dunajska 48, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Bostjan Paradiž

Authors
  1. Gunther Umlauf
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  2. Eugen H. Christoph
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  3. Steven J. Eisenreich
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  4. Giulio Mariani
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  5. Bostjan Paradiž
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  6. Ingrid Vives
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ingrid Vives.

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Umlauf, G., Christoph, E.H., Eisenreich, S.J. et al. Seasonality of PCDD/Fs in the ambient air of Malopolska Region, southern Poland. Environ Sci Pollut Res 17, 462–469 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-009-0215-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-009-0215-4

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