Determination and Characterization of PCDD/DFs and Dioxin-like PCBs in the Ambient Air and Soil collected from western Gyeonggi, Korea

Abstract

This study was performed to determine the contamination levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and furans (PCDD/DFs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs) in the Korean atmosphere and to estimate their partitioning in vapor and particle phase. The ambient air samples were collected from Banwol industrial complex in Ansan city and Younghung islet in Inchon city (control area). A glass fiber filter (GFF) and polyurethane foam plug (PUF) were used to collect the particulate and vapor phases of PCDD/DFs and dioxin-like PCBs. The total TEQ concentrations (ΣPCDDs-TEQ + ΣPCDFs-TEQ + ΣDioxin-like PCBs-TEQ) ranged from 0.02 pg·TEQ/m^3 for the Younghung islet site to 1.97 pg·TEQ/m^3 in the Banwol industrial complex site during the investigation period. The mean values of the total TEQ were substantially higher in ambient air samples collected from Banwol site (mean; 0.70 pg·TEQ/m^3) than those collected from Younghung site (mean; 0.23 pg·TEQ/m^3). The Vapor-to-particle ratios for individual 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/DF congeners were found to be dependent on the vapor pressure of the compounds and the ambient temperature. On the other hand, the average total TEQ concentrations of soil samples were recorded to 18.5 pg·TEQ/g (dry weight basis, n=2) for industrial area, 4.2 pg ·TEQ/g for paddy soil (n=5) and 3.0 pg·TEQ/g (n=2) for forest area.