Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
describes the differences in physical-chemical properties of these pollutants and
relates them with the mechanisms of atmospheric transport. Strategies to reduce the
ambient air concentrations are discussed. Information is also given on future
perspectives in view of “emerging” pollutants and emission sources.
Keywords Gas-to-particle-phase partitioning, Long-range atmospheric transport,
Organochlorines, Persistent organic pollutants, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Contents
1 Introduction ................................................................................... 76
2 Objectives . . ................................................................................... 78
2.1 Organohalogen Compounds ........................................................... 78
2.2 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons . .................................................. 81
3 Atmospheric Transport of POP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
3.1 Gas-Particle Exchange . . . .............................................................. 84
3.2 Atmospheric Deposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
4 Historical Trends of POP Atmospheric Pollution in the European Environment . . . . . . . . . . 88
5 Atmospheric POP Levels in Europe in the Twenty-First Century ......................... 91
6 Future Perspectives . . ......................................................................... 96
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
1
Introduction
Since the beginning of human development, anthropogenic activities, such as
hunting, wood burning and agriculture, have left their mark in the environment.
At present, the increase and intensification of economic progress in our
industrialised society, with its unlimited demand and use of energy and
manufactured products, have largely raised the environmental impact of these
activities. Furthermore, the environmental effects of many chemicals are not
restricted to the sites of production and/or application. They may impact distant
ecosystems as consequence of long-range transport. When this process is
influencing most of the planet, it involves global changes. These changes relate to
the presence of toxic compounds in nearby and remote ecosystems like the Arctic
regions and European high mountain areas [
1
,
2
] where POPs are present in all
environmental compartments such as water, soils and atmosphere, as well as in the
organisms living in them.
POPs are chemical compounds responsible for many of these problems. This
group of pollutants includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and
organohalogen compounds (OC) such as polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), hexachlor-
ocyclohexanes (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polybromodiphenyl ethers
(PBDEs) and others. After emission to the atmosphere, POPs may undergo long-
range atmospheric transport. The environmental effects caused by these compounds
result from their toxicity, semi-volatility and resistance against physical, chemical
or biological degradation (Sect.
2
). Most of these compounds, except PAH, are
