Assessment of air pollution in the Czech Republic by emerging chlorinated contaminants

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60461373%3A22330%2F20%3A43921106" target="_blank" >RIV/60461373:22330/20:43921106 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Assessment of air pollution in the Czech Republic by emerging chlorinated contaminants

Original language description

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are listed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on the Stockholm convention. They can be found in various environmental compartments, including atmosphere. Air pollution might be a significant source of human exposure to these contaminants. SCCPs are suspected of having adverse effects on human health and are classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. PCBs and PCNs are suspected of being hepatotoxic and several of the congeners exhibit dioxin-like toxicity. PCBs are considered probable human carcinogens. The aim of this study was (i) to implement the analytical procedure for the simultaneous isolation of SCCPs, 11 congeners of PCNs and 8 congeners of PCBs from filters of high volume samplers used for air sampling and (ii) to apply the newly validated method within the pilot study assessing the air pollution in two regions of the Czech Republic, the locality Litvínov (area polluted by industry) and the locality České Budějovice (reference area). Extraction of target compounds was carried out in the Soxhlet apparatus (hexane: dichlormethane, 1:1, v/v) and followed by purification on the silica column (analytes eluted by hexane:dichlormethane, 3:1, v/v). PCNs and PCBs were then analyzed simultaneously by gas chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry in electron ionisation (GC-EI-MS/MS) and CPs were analyzed by gas chromatography – high resolution mass spectrometry in negative chemical ionization (GC-NCI-HRMS). Limits of quantification (LOQs) were determined as 10 pg/filter (SCCPs), 0,005 – 0,05 pg/filter (individual PCNs) and 0,01 pg/filter (PCBs). Firstly the method was validated for both SCCPs and PCNs, recoveries determined from spiked samples ranged from 86 % to 102 % (SCCPs) and from 79 % to 120 % (PCNs). Repeatabilities were 9 % and 5-16 % for SCCPs and PCNs, respectively. Within the pilot survey, the successfully validated analytical procedure was applied to a set of 50 samples of high-volume air sampling filters collected from two localities of the Czech Republic (České Budějovice, Litvínov) at various seasons. Comparing the concentrations of aromatic pollutants air in České Budějovice was more contaminated by more than 60 % than in Litvínov. The average concentration in the air of České Budějovice was 0,013 pg/m3 for sum of detected PCNs (tri-penta congeners) and 2 pg/m3 for the sum of all indicator PCBs. However, opposite trends were found in SCCPs, in which twice as high concentrations were measured in the air from Litvínov, compared to the air from České Budějovice. The average concentration of SCCPs in the Litvínov was 119 pg/m3.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30304 - Public and environmental health

Project

Result was created during the realization of more than one project. More information in the Projects tab.

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2020

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů