Levels, seasonal patterns, and potential sources of organochlorine pesticides in the urban atmosphere of Beijing, China.

ABSTRACT

Air samples collected monthly on the roof of a building in Beijing were analyzed for the levels, seasonal patterns, and potential sources of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). A high-volume air sampler with polyurethane foam and quartz fiber filters was used to collect monthly samples from November 2005 to April 2009. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and DDT isomers were the most abundant organochlorinated pesticides in the Beijing atmosphere. Higher OCP concentrations were generally found in summer, except for HCB. Coal combustion, waste incineration, and fuel combustion were assumed to be the potential HCB emission sources. Significant input of either of these OCPs during our study period was considered very unlikely.