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Passive sampler‐derived air concentrations for polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Kuwait
Author(s) -
Gevao Bondi,
AlOmair Ali,
Sweetman Andy,
AlAli Lulwa,
AlBahloul Majed,
Helaleh Murad,
Zafar Jamal
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1897/05-442r.1
Subject(s) - polybrominated diphenyl ethers , phenanthrene , environmental chemistry , diphenyl ether , polybrominated biphenyls , chemistry , oil spill , persistent organic pollutant , particulates , environmental science , hydrocarbon , environmental engineering , pollutant , organic chemistry
The present study presents, to our knowledge, the first ambient air data for a range of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Kuwait. This was achieved by concurrently deploying polyurethane foam‐disk passive samplers at 14 sites over a six‐week period. Calculated mean Σ 5 PBDE concentrations (sum of brominated diphenyl ethers [BDEs] 47, 99, 100, 153, and 154) ranged from 2.5 to 32 pg/m 3 of air, with BDE 47 contributing between 39 and 65% of the ΣPBDEs detected. Differences in relative concentrations were observed between sites, with higher concentrations measured close to suspected sources. Calculated ΣPAH concentrations ranged from 5 to 13 ng/m 3 (mean, 8.3 ng/m 3 ). The compound distribution was dominated by three‐ and four‐ring compounds, which constituted approximately 90% of the ΣPAHs, with phenanthrene contributing approximately 35%. However, the proportion of five‐ and six‐ring PAHs increased around the “oil lakes,” which were formed by the torching of oil wells during the 1991 Gulf War. The oil lakes are a reservoir of PAHs that will continue feeding the atmosphere as long as they remain untreated.