engleski

Levels and seasonal variations of polychlorinated biphenyls in ambient air, Zagreb, Croatia

Levels of six PCB congeners, (PCB-28, PCB-52, PCB-101, PCB-138, PCB-153, PCB-180) in the ambient air were continuously monitored for 9 months in Zagreb between June 1999 and February 2000. All the analysed PCB congeners were found in all 47 air samples collected except PCB-180, whose presence was determined in 30 samples. Median concentrations were 35.7 pg/m3 (PCB-28), 12.5 pg/m3 (PCB-52), 14.2 pg/m3 (PCB-101), 5.5 pg/m3 (PCB-138), 4, 4 pg/m3 (PCB-153) and 1.8 pg/m3 (PCB-180). The comparison between PCB median concentrations in air samples collected at the same place in 1997 and this study shows that the levels of all six congeners slightly decreased. Pronounced seasonal variations of all six PCB congeners was observed, with higher levels in warmer than in colder seasons. When the temperatures were above 10 oC the sum of six PCBs was between 30.6 and 577.8 pg/m3 and when they were below 10 oC, the sum of six PCBs was between 10.7 and 71.0 pg/m3.

PCB; organochlorines; air pollution; ambient air levels

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