Contamination of Antarctic snow by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons dominated by combustion sources in the polar region

KUKUČKA, Petr, Gerhard LAMMEL, Alice DVORSKÁ, Jana KLÁNOVÁ, Andrea MOELLER and Elke FRIES. Contamination of Antarctic snow by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons dominated by combustion sources in the polar region. Environmental Chemistry. Australia, 2010, vol. 2010, No 7, p. 504-513. ISSN 1448-2517.

Basic information

• Original name: Contamination of Antarctic snow by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons dominated by combustion sources in the polar region
• Authors: KUKUČKA, Petr (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Gerhard LAMMEL (276 Germany, belonging to the institution), Alice DVORSKÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Jana KLÁNOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Andrea MOELLER (276 Germany) and Elke FRIES (276 Germany).
• Edition: Environmental Chemistry, Australia, 2010, 1448-2517.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 10511 Environmental sciences
• Country of publisher: Czech Republic
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 1.818
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/10:00045993
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• UT WoS: 000285466700003
• Keywords in English: air pollution; Antarctica; GC-MS; long-range transport; SPME
• Tags: Air, environment, fate, PaHs, SPME

Abstract

Firn samples attributed to the period between 2002 and 2005 were collected from a snow pit on the Ekstroem Shelf Ice in the Weddell Sea. Low-volume meltwater samples (5 mL) were extracted by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The recovery of the analytical method for the 4-6 ring PAHs was low. PAH concentrations in snow were found within the range of 26-197 ng L -1. The most prevailing substances were determined to be naphthalene, 1- and 2- methylnaphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene, with naphthalene accounting for an overall mean of 82% of total PAH. Potential emission sources of PAHs in snow were studied using back-trajectory statistics and available emission data of combustion sources in and around Antarctica. The distance to the sources (ships and research stations) in this region was found to control the snow PAH concentrations. There was no indication for intercontinental transport or marine sources.

Abstract (in Czech)

Firn samples attributed to the period between 2002 and 2005 were collected from a snow pit on the Ekstroem Shelf Ice in the Weddell Sea. Low-volume meltwater samples (5 mL) were extracted by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The recovery of the analytical method for the 4-6 ring PAHs was low. PAH concentrations in snow were found within the range of 26-197 ng L -1. The most prevailing substances were determined to be naphthalene, 1- and 2- methylnaphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene and phenanthrene, with naphthalene accounting for an overall mean of 82% of total PAH. Potential emission sources of PAHs in snow were studied using back-trajectory statistics and available emission data of combustion sources in and around Antarctica. The distance to the sources (ships and research stations) in this region was found to control the snow PAH concentrations. There was no indication for intercontinental transport or marine sources.

Links

• ED0001/01/01, research and development project: Name: CETOCOEN