In vitro toxicity evaluation in A549 cells of diesel particulate matter from two different particle sampling systems and several resuspension media.

In urban areas, inhalation of fine particles from combustion sources such as diesel engines causes adverse health effects. For toxicity testing, a substantial amount of particulate matter (PM) is needed. Conventional sampling involves collection of PM onto substrates by filtration or inertial impaction. A major drawback to those methodologies is that the extraction process can modify the collected particles and alter their chemical composition. Moreover, prior to toxicity testing, PM samples need to be resuspended, which can alter the PM sample even further. Lastly, the choice of the resuspension medium may also impact the detected toxicological responses. In this study, we compared the toxicity profile of PM obtained from two alternative sampling systems, using in vitro toxicity assays. One system makes use of condensational growth before collection in water in an impinger - BioSampler (CG-BioSampler), and the other, a Dekati® Gravimetric Impactor (DGI), is based on inertial impaction. In addition, various methods for resuspension of DGI collected PM were compared. Tested endpoints included cytotoxicity, formation of cellular reactive oxygen species, and genotoxicity. The alternative collection and suspension methods affected different toxicological endpoints. The water/dimethyl sulfoxide mixture and cell culture medium resuspended particles, along with the CG-BioSampler sample, produced the strongest responses. The water resuspended sample from the DGI appeared least toxic. CG-BioSampler collected PM caused a clear increased response in apoptotic cell death. We conclude that the CG-BioSampler PM sampler is a promising alternative to inertial impaction sampling.

Potential exhaled breath biomarkers identified in chlorine-exposed mice.

Exhaled breath (EB) contains various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can indicate specific biological or pathological processes in the body. Analytical techniques like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) can be used to detect and measure these exhaled biomarkers. In this study, the objective was to develop a non-invasive method of EB sampling in animals that were awake, as well as to analyze EB for volatile biomarkers specific for chlorine exposure and/or diagnostic biomarkers for chlorine-induced acute lung injury (ALI). To achieve this, a custom-made sampling device was used to collect EB samples from 19 female Balb/c mice. EB was sampled both pre-exposure (serving as internal control) and 30 min after exposure to chlorine. EB was collected on thermal desorption tubes and subsequently analyzed for VOCs by GC-MS. The following day, the extent of airway injury was assessed in the animals by examining neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. VOC analysis revealed alterations in the EB biomarker pattern post-chlorine exposure, with eight biomarkers displaying increased levels and six exhibiting decreased levels following exposure. Four chlorinated compounds: trichloromethane, chloroacetone, 1,1-dichloroacetone and dichloroacetonitrile, were increased in chlorine-exposed mice, suggesting their specificity as chlorine EB biomarkers. Furthermore, chlorine-exposed mice displayed a neutrophilic inflammatory response and body weight loss 24 h following exposure. In conclusion, all animals developed an airway inflammation characterized by neutrophil infiltration and a specific EB pattern that could be extracted after chlorine exposure. Monitoring EB samples can readily and non-invasively provide valuable information on biomarkers for diagnosis of chlorine-induced ALI, confirming chlorine exposures.

The potential of thermal desorption-GC/MS-based analytical methods for the unambiguous identification and quantification of perfluoroisobutene and carbonyl fluoride in air samples.

The reactive gases perfluoroisobutene and carbonyl fluoride are highly toxic and difficult to analyze in air. For this paper, the available sampling and analysis methods involving gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were investigated for their potential to give unambiguous identification and quantification of perfluoroisobutene and carbonyl fluoride, for which no such methods exist. Although high concentrations of perfluoroisobutene could be analyzed directly by manual split injection, sorbent sampling followed by thermal desorption GC/MS allowed lower concentrations to be analyzed. However, a significant degradation of perfluoroisobutene observed after thermal desorption analysis inspired the use of derivatization of perfluoroisobutene with 3,4-dimercaptotoluene. The use of Tenax TA sorbent tubes spiked with 3,4-dimercaptotoluene and trimethylamine in a molar ratio of 1:8 proved successful for the quantification of a unique perfluoroisobutene derivative, and the method was validated for atmospheres in the range of 0.13-152 ppb with a relative standard deviation of less than 20% and an accuracy of 90%. Although carbonyl fluoride was less stable than perfluoroisobutene, direct analysis was possible at high concentrations but the response was not linear. The 3,4-dimercaptotoluene derivatization method developed was also applicable for quantification of carbonyl fluoride atmospheres.

Identifying a human rights-based approach to obesity for States and civil society.

Obesity and its comorbidities pose daunting challenges to global health and development in the 21st century. This paper reviews some commonalities between obesity and another global health challenge, the pandemic of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). International human rights law was an important catalyst for civil society movements that helped to overcome inertia and generate political will for State action in response to HIV and AIDS. Drawing on the HIV experience, the authors propose a conceptual model for a human rights-based response to obesity founded on the twin pillars of State obligations and civil society engagement. Framing States' obligations to address the global obesity pandemic as a matter of international law, informed by the examples of the United Nations "International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights" and the General Comments of the United Nations human rights treaty bodies on HIV and AIDS, provides a normative framework to guide State actions and opportunities to engage the extensive accountability mechanisms of the United Nations international human rights system. In addition, it provides civil society organizations with the language and tools to demand State action on obesity. The authors call for similar authoritative guidance for States on the application of international human rights law to obesity.

Legal capacities required for prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases.

Law lies at the centre of successful national strategies for prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. By law we mean international agreements, national and subnational legislation, regulations and other executive instruments, and decisions of courts and tribunals. However, the vital role of law in global health development is often poorly understood, and eclipsed by other disciplines such as medicine, public health and economics. This paper identifies key areas of intersection between law and noncommunicable diseases, beginning with the role of law as a tool for implementing policies for prevention and control of leading risk factors. We identify actions that the World Health Organization and its partners could take to mobilize the legal workforce, strengthen legal capacity and support effective use of law at the national level. Legal and regulatory actions must move to the centre of national noncommunicable disease action plans. This requires high-level leadership from global and national leaders, enacting evidence-based legislation and building legal capacities.

Le droit est au cœur des stratégies nationales efficaces de lutte contre les maladies non transmissibles. Par droit, nous entendons les accords internationaux, les législations nationales et infranationales, les réglementations et autres instruments exécutifs, et les décisions des cours et des tribunaux. Cependant, le rôle vital du droit dans le développement de la santé à l'échelle mondiale est souvent mal compris, et éclipsé par d'autres disciplines telles que la médecine, la santé publique et l'économie. Cet article définit des domaines d'intersection clés entre le droit et les maladies non transmissibles, en commençant par le rôle du droit en tant qu'outil pour mettre en œuvre des politiques visant à prévenir et maîtriser les principaux facteurs de risque. Nous mettons en évidence des mesures que l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé et ses partenaires pourraient prendre pour mobiliser les professionnels du droit, renforcer les capacités juridiques et soutenir une utilisation efficace du droit au niveau national. Des mesures juridiques et réglementaires doivent être placées au centre des plans d'action nationaux pour la lutte contre les maladies non transmissibles. Cela nécessite un leadership de haut niveau de la part des dirigeants internationaux et nationaux, à travers l'adoption de lois fondées sur des données scientifiques et un renforcement des capacités juridiques.

La ley es la clave del éxito de las estrategias nacionales para la prevención y el control de las enfermedades no contagiosas. Por ley entendemos los acuerdos internacionales, la legislación nacional y subnacional, los reglamentos y otros instrumentos ejecutivos, así como las decisiones de los tribunales y las cortes de justicia. Sin embargo, el papel vital de la ley en el desarrollo de la salud mundial a menudo no se comprende bien y se ve eclipsado por otras disciplinas como la medicina, la salud pública y la economía. Este documento identifica las áreas clave de intersección entre la ley y las enfermedades no contagiosas, empezando por el papel de la ley como herramienta para implementar políticas de prevención y control de los principales factores de riesgo. Se determinan las medidas que la Organización Mundial de la Salud y sus asociados podrían adoptar para movilizar al personal legal, fortalecer la capacidad jurídica y apoyar el uso eficaz de la legislación a nivel nacional. Las acciones legales y reglamentarias deben pasar a ser el centro de los planes de acción nacionales para las enfermedades no contagiosas. Esto requiere un liderazgo de alto nivel por parte de los líderes mundiales y nacionales, para promulgar una legislación basada en pruebas y crear capacidades jurídicas.

Part 1: Tracing Russian VX to its synthetic routes by multivariate statistics of chemical attribution signatures.

Chemical attribution signatures (CAS) associated with different synthetic routes used for the production of Russian VX (VR) were identified. The goal of the study was to retrospectively determine the production method employed for an unknown VR sample. Six different production methods were evaluated, carefully chosen to include established synthetic routes used in the past for large scale production of the agent, routes involving general phosphorus-sulfur chemistry pathways leading to the agent, and routes whose main characteristic is their innate simplicity in execution. Two laboratories worked in parallel and synthesized a total of 37 batches of VR via the six synthetic routes following predefined synthesis protocols. The chemical composition of impurities and byproducts in each route was analyzed by GC/MS-EI and 49 potential CAS were recognized as important markers in distinguishing these routes using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The 49 potential CAS included expected species based on knowledge of reaction conditions and pathways but also several novel compounds that were fully identified and characterized by a combined analysis that included MS-CI, MS-EI and HR-MS. The CAS profiles of the calibration set were then analyzed using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and a cross validated model was constructed. The model allowed the correct classification of an external test set without any misclassifications, demonstrating the utility of this methodology for attributing VR samples to a particular production method. This work is part one of a three-part series in this Forensic VSI issue of a Sweden-United States collaborative effort towards the understanding of the CAS of VR in diverse batches and matrices. This part focuses on the CAS in synthesized batches of crude VR and in the following two parts of the series the influence of food matrices on the CAS profiles are investigated.

Synthesis route attribution of sulfur mustard by multivariate data analysis of chemical signatures.

A multivariate model was developed to attribute samples to a synthetic method used in the production of sulfur mustard (HD). Eleven synthetic methods were used to produce 66 samples for model construction. Three chemists working in both participating laboratories took part in the production, with the aim to introduce variability while reducing the influence of laboratory or chemist specific impurities in multivariate analysis. A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric data set of peak areas for 103 compounds was subjected to orthogonal partial least squares - discriminant analysis to extract chemical attribution signature profiles and to construct multivariate models for classification of samples. For one- and two-step routes, model quality allowed the classification of an external test set (16/16 samples) according to synthesis conditions in the reaction yielding sulfur mustard. Classification of samples according to first-step methodology was considerably more difficult, given the high purity and uniform quality of the intermediate thiodiglycol produced in the study. Model performance in classification of aged samples was also investigated.

Public support for government regulatory interventions for overweight and obesity in Australia.

BACKGROUND: There is growing recognition among public health circles of the need for regulatory action for overweight and obesity, but there has been limited research into whether the Australian public supports government intervention. This study aimed to determine the level of public support for food-related regulations for obesity, and to assess the determinants of support. METHODS: A nationally representative sample of Australian adults (n = 2011) was recruited by market research company Online Research Unit to complete an online survey. The survey measured respondents' perception of the obesity problem in Australia, and level of agreement on a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) with proposed regulations in three domains; advertising, sponsorship of children's sport, and taxation. Binary logistic regression models were run to examine the association between demographic variables and support for regulation. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (92.5%) considered overweight and obesity to be a somewhat or very serious problem in Australia, and almost 90% felt there should be at least some government regulation to protect the public. Respondents agreed that the government should regulate food and beverage advertising (69.5%), with strongest support for restricting unhealthy food advertising to children (78.9%). There was lower support for prohibiting unhealthy food and beverage company sponsorship of children's sport (63.4% agreement), and for taxing sugar-sweetened beverages (54.5%), although the majority were still in favour. Support for fiscal policies slightly increased if revenue was to be used for health purposes. Females and tertiary educated respondents showed stronger agreement with proposed regulations (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The survey findings suggest the majority of the Australian population recognises obesity to be a serious health problem, and support government regulation of the food environment as a population-level preventative strategy.

Influence of InAlN Nanospiral Structures on the Behavior of Reflected Light Polarization.

The influence of structural configurations of indium aluminum nitride (InAlN) nanospirals, grown by reactive magnetron sputter epitaxy, on the transformation of light polarization are investigated in terms of varying structural chirality, growth temperatures, titanium nitride (TiN) seed (buffer) layer thickness, nanospiral thickness, and pitch. The handedness of reflected circularly polarized light in the ultraviolet-visible region corresponding to the chirality of nanospirals is demonstrated. A high degree of circular polarization (Pc) value of 0.75 is obtained from a sample consisting of 1.2 µm InAlN nanospirals grown at 650 °C. A film-like structure is formed at temperatures lower than 450 °C. At growth temperatures higher than 750 °C, less than 0.1 In-content is incorporated into the InAlN nanospirals. Both cases reveal very low Pc. A red shift of wavelength at Pc peak is found with increasing nanospiral pitch in the range of 200-300 nm. The Pc decreases to 0.37 for two-turn nanospirals with total length of 0.7 µm, attributed to insufficient constructive interference. A branch-like structure appears on the surface when the nanospirals are grown longer than 1.2 µm, which yields a low Pc around 0.5, caused by the excessive scattering of incident light.

Smartphone use in dermatology for clinical photography and consultation: Current practice and the law.

BACKGROUND: Smartphones are rapidly changing the way doctors capture and communicate clinical information, particularly in highly visual specialties such as dermatology. An understanding of how and why smartphones are currently used in clinical practice is critical in order to evaluate professional and legal risks, and to formulate policies that enable safe use of mobile technologies for the maximal benefit of practitioners and patients. METHODS: Australian dermatologists and dermatology trainees were surveyed on their current practices relating to clinical smartphone use. RESULTS: Of the 105 respondents, 101 provided useable results. The data show clinical smartphone use is common and frequent, with more than 50% of respondents sending and receiving images on their smartphones at least weekly. Clinical photographs were usually sent via multimedia message or email and were commonly stored on smartphones (46%). Security measures adopted to protect data were limited. There was inadequate documentation of consent for transmission of photographs and advice provided. Only 22% of respondents were aware of clear policies in their workplace regarding smartphone use, and a majority desired further education on digital image management. CONCLUSIONS: Given the frequency of use and the degree of importance placed on the ability to send and receive clinical images, clinical smartphone use will persist and will likely increase over time. Current practices are insufficient to comply with professional and legal obligations, and increase practitioners' vulnerability to civil and disciplinary proceedings. Further education, realistic policies and adequate software resources are critical to ensure protection of patients, practitioners and the reputation of the dermatological profession.

Impact of Fire Suit Ensembles on Firefighter PAH Exposures as Assessed by Skin Deposition and Urinary Biomarkers.

Over the past 10 years, a number of safety measures for reducing firefighters' exposure to combustion particles have been introduced in Sweden. The most important measure was the reduction in the time firefighters wear suits and handle contaminated equipment after turn-outs involving smoke diving. This study was divided into two parts, those being to investigate the level of protection obtained by multiple garment layers and to assess exposure during a standardized smoke diving exercise. First, realistic work protection factors (WPFs) were calculated by comparing air concentrations of the full suite of gaseous and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) inside and outside structural ensembles, including jacket and thick base layer, during a tough fire extinguishing exercise using wood as the fuel. Second, during a standardized smoke diving exercise, exposure was assessed by measuring PAH skin deposition and levels of eight urinary PAH metabolites in 20 volunteer student firefighters before and after the exercise. The average WPF for the sum of 22 PAHs was 146 ± 33 suggesting a relatively high protective capacity but also indicating a substantial enrichment of contaminants with a risk of prolonged dermal exposure. Accordingly, in the second exercise, the median levels of skin-deposited Σ14-PAHs and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene significantly increased 5-fold (21 to 99 ng/wipe) and 8-fold (0.14 to 1.1 µmol mol-1 creatinine), respectively, post exposure. Among the PAH metabolites investigated, 1-hydroxypyrene proved to be the most useful indicator of exposure, with significantly elevated urinary levels at both 6 h and 20 h after the exercise and with the strongest correlation to dermal exposure. Metabolites from two-ring and three-ring PAHs were eliminated faster while levels of 3-hydroxy-benzo[a]pyrene did not meet the detection criteria. The results from correlation studies indicated that dermal uptake was a major route of exposure in accordance with previous findings. To summarize, this study shows that some of the newly adopted protective measures were correctly implemented, and should continue to be followed and be more widely adopted.

Framework legislation for non-communicable diseases: and for the Sustainable Development Goals?

'Framework legislation' refers to legislation that sets out structures for governance and accountability or other processes for guiding the decisions and actions taken by government or the executive. Framework legislation for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) provides the opportunity for countries to focus their political commitment, to set national targets, and a time-frame for achieving them, and to create cross-sectoral governance structures for the development and implementation of innovative policies. Although they extend well beyond NCDs, the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) create similar demands for effective national governance. A similar case might, therefore, be made for framework legislation for the health-related SDGs or for legislation to govern particular aspects, such as managing commercial relationships with the private sector or managing conflicts of interest. This article considers the possible benefits of framework legislation, including what issues might be appropriate for inclusion in a framework law. The absence of framework legislation should neither be seen as an excuse for inaction, nor is framework legislation a substitute for detailed regulation of areas such as sanitation and water quality, tobacco and alcohol control, food safety, essential medicines or poisons. The ultimate test for framework legislation will be its capacity to provide a catalyst for action and to accelerate progress towards national and global health goals.

An audit of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network: regulation and policy implications.

BACKGROUND: Increased marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods has been identified as a driver of the global obesity epidemic and a priority area for preventative efforts. Local and international research has focused on the unhealthiness of television advertising, with limited research into the growing outdoor advertising industry. This study aimed to examine the extent of food and beverage advertising on the Sydney metropolitan train network, and to assess the nutritional quality of advertised products against the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. METHODS: All 178 train stations on the Sydney metropolitan train network were surveyed in summer and winter. A survey tool was developed to collect information for all advertisements on and immediately surrounding the train station. Information included product, brand, location and advertisement format. Advertisements were coded by nutrition category, product subcategory and size. Chi-square, ANOVA and ANCOVA tests were conducted to test for differences in the amount of food and beverage advertising by season and area socioeconomic status (SES). RESULTS: Of 6931 advertisements identified, 1915 (27.6%) were promoting a food or beverage. The majority of food and beverage advertisements were for unhealthy products; 84.3% were classified as discretionary, 8.0% core and 7.6% miscellaneous. Snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages were the most frequently advertised products, regardless of season. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo were the largest advertisers on the network, contributing 10.9% and 6.5% of total advertisements respectively. There was no difference in the mean number of food and beverage advertisements by area SES, but the proportion of advertising that was for discretionary foods was highest in low SES areas (41.9%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that, irrespective of season, food and beverage advertisements across the Sydney metropolitan train network are overwhelmingly for unhealthy (discretionary) products. The results of this study highlight the inadequacy of Australia's voluntary self-regulatory system in protecting members of the public from exposure to unhealthy food advertising. Regulatory action by government, such as placing a cap on the amount of unhealthy food advertisements, or requiring a proportion of all advertising to be for the promotion of healthy foods, is required to address this issue.

DPPTE Thiolipid Self-Assembled Monolayer: A Critical Assay.

Supported lipid membranes represent an elegant way to design a fluid interface able to mimic the physicochemical properties of biological membranes, with potential biotechnological applications. In this work, a diacyl phospholipid, the 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphothioethanol (DPPTE), functionalized with a thiol group, was immobilized on a gold surface. In this molecule, the thiol group, responsible for the Au-S bond (45 kJ/mol) is located on the phospholipid polar head, letting the hydrophobic chain protrude from the film. This system is widely used in the literature but is no less challenging, since its characterization is not complete, as several discordant data have been obtained. In this work, the film was characterized by cyclic voltammetry blocking experiments, to verify the SAM formation, and by reductive desorption measurements, to estimate the molecular density of DPPTE on the gold surface. This value has been compared to that obtained by quartz crystal microbalance measurements. Ellipsometry and impedance spectroscopy measurements have been performed to obtain information about the monolayer thickness and capacitance. The film morphology was investigated by atomic force microscopy. Finally, Monte Carlo simulations were carried out, in order to gain molecular information about the morphologies of the DPPTE SAM and compare them to the experimental results. We demonstrate that DPPTE molecules, incubated 18 h below the phase transition temperature (T = 41.1 ± 0.4 °C) in ethanol solution, are able to form a self-assembled monolayer on the gold surface, with domain structures of different order, which have never been reported before. Our results make possible rationalization of the scattered results so far obtained on this system, giving a new insight into the formation of phospholipids SAMs on a gold surface.

Sum regression decomposition of spectral and angle-resolved Mueller matrices from biological reflectors.

We show spectroscopic Mueller-matrix data measured at multiple incidence angles of the scarab beetle C. aurata. A method of regression decomposition can decompose the Mueller matrix into a set of two matrices representing one polarizer and one dielectric reflector. We also report on a tentative decomposition of the beetle C. argenteola using the same method.

Designing a Healthy Food Partnership: lessons from the Australian Food and Health Dialogue.

BACKGROUND: Poor diets are a leading cause of disease burden worldwide. In Australia, the Federal Government established the Food and Health Dialogue (the Dialogue) in 2009 to address this issue, primarily through food reformulation. We evaluated the Dialogue's performance over its 6 years of operation and used these findings to develop recommendations for the success of the new Healthy Food Partnership. METHODS: We used information from the Dialogue website, media releases, communiqués, e-newsletters, materials released under freedom-of-information, and Parliamentary Hansard to evaluate the Dialogue's achievements from October 2013 to November 2015, using the RE-AIM (reach, efficacy, adoption, implementation and maintenance) framework. We also engaged closely with two former Dialogue members. Our findings update a prior assessment done in October 2013. RESULTS: Little data is available to evaluate the Dialogue's recent achievements, with no information about progress against milestones released since October 2013. In the last 2 years, only one additional set of sodium reduction targets (cheese) was agreed and Quick Service Restaurant foods were added as an area for action. Some activity was identified in 12 of a possible 137 (9 %) areas of action within the Dialogue's mandate. Independent evaluation found targets were partially achieved in some food categories, with substantial variation in success between companies. No effects on the knowledge, behaviours or nutrient intake of the Australian population or evidence of impact on diet-related disease could be identified. CONCLUSIONS: The new Healthy Food Partnership has similar goals to the Dialogue. While highly laudable and recognised globally as cost-effective, the mechanism for delivery in Australia has been woefully inadequate. Strong government leadership, adequate funding, clear targets and timelines, management of conflict of interest, comprehensive monitoring and evaluation, and a plan for responsive regulation in the event of missed milestones will be required if the new Healthy Food Partnership is to achieve its urgent public health goals.

Field evaluation and calibration of a small axial passive air sampler for gaseous and particle bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and oxygenated PAHs.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their oxygenated analogues (OPAHs) are ubiquitous air pollutants known to cause adverse health effects. PAH air levels are commonly monitored by active sampling but passive sampling has become popular because of its lower cost and simplicity, which facilitate long-term sampling and increased spatial coverage. However, passive samplers are less suitable for short-term sampling and are in general less accurate than active samplers because they require reliable sampling rate (Rs) measurements for individual analytes under diverse environmental conditions. In this study a small passive sampler designed to sample both particle-bound and gaseous compounds was evaluated and calibrated for PAHs and OPAHs in a traffic environment by co-deployment with active samplers for two weeks. Despite the relatively low average air concentrations of PM10 (20 µg/m(3)), PM2.5 (5 µg/m(3)), total PAHs (4.2 ng/m(3)), and OPAHs (2.3 ng/m(3)) at the site, detectable quantities (on average 24 times above blank values) of the full range of PAHs and OPAHs were captured, with low variability (average RSD of 16%). This was accomplished by using a Tenax(®) TA-modified glass fiber substrate that is compatible with highly sensitive thermal desorption GC-MS analysis, which made it possible to achieve detection limits per sample in the pg range. Experiments with inverted samplers revealed that the relative contribution of gravitational settling to the sampling of particles carrying PAHs and OPAHs was around 3.5 times larger than other deposition mechanisms. Average Rs values for individual OPAHs and PAHs were 0.046 ± 0.03 m(3)/day and 0.12 ± 0.07 m(3)/day, respectively, with no appreciable difference between the values for particle-associated and gaseous compounds. Furthermore, the Rs values were competitive with other currently used passive samplers if normalized for substrate area. Overall, the new sampler's performance, simplicity and ability to generate relatively time-resolved data make it a promising candidate for diverse SVOC monitoring studies.