Nationwide levels and distribution of endosulfan in air, soil, water, and sediment in South Korea.

We investigated the levels and distribution patterns of α- and ß-endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate in air, soil, water, and sediment samples collected from the South Korean persistent organic pollutants (POPs) monitoring networks. In the air samples, the highest concentrations of the total (Σ3) endosulfan (50.3-611 pg/m3, mean: 274 pg/m3) were observed during summer. Spearman analysis revealed a good correlation between agricultural land area and atmospheric concentrations of Σ3 endosulfan except during winter. Regardless of the season, the ratio of the two isomers (α/ß) was 3.6-4.9 in the air samples, higher than that observed in technical mixtures (2.0-2.3), possibly due to the higher volatility of α-endosulfan, compared to ß-endosulfan. Concentrations of Σ3 endosulfan in the soil samples (n.d.-13.4 ng/g, mean: 0.8 ng/g) were not significantly different except at some stations adjacent to large areas of farmland. The average levels of Σ3 endosulfan in the water and sediment samples were 2.1 ng/L and 0.1 ng/g dw, respectively. In analyzing the four largest rivers, it was observed that a few water stations during spring and fall and sediment stations in fall had high concentrations of the two isomers and endosulfan sulfate, particularly around the Yeoungsan and Nakdong Rivers near large areas of agricultural land. Endosulfan sulfate was dominant at most water and sediment sampling stations. This study demonstrates that the endosulfan found in most environmental compartments most probably derives from agricultural areas despite its ban as a pesticide. On the other hand, given that it was also detected in industrial and urban areas, in which pesticide application does not occur, it can be conjectured that endosulfan is aerially transported at higher temperatures and continuously circulates within the environment.

[Accumulation characteristics of PAHs in multimedia from various urban functional areas].

Taking Shanghai city as an example, the study analyzed the difference of concentration levels in road dust, soil and leaves besides roads. The reasons and mechanisms of the accumulation characteristics were also been discussed. The result shows that, in a same functional area, road dusts and soils accumulated more PAHs while leaves did less, and the concentrations of PAHs in P. orientalis L. leaves were higher than those in Buxus sinica leaves. Total PAHs concentrations in road dust and soil ranged from 8992 ng x g(-1) to 141723 ng x g(-1), averaged in 54964 ng x g(-1), and from 9306 ng x g(-1) to 146689 ng x g(-1), averaged in 56883 ng x g(-1), respectively. Total PAHs concentrations in P. orientalis L. leaves and Buxus sinica leaves varied from 2423 ng x g(-1) to 32883 ng x g(-1), with a mean value of 12983 ng x g(-1), from 1498 ng x g(-1) to 19418 ng x g(-1), with a mean value of 7612 ng x g(-1). Among various functional areas, there were significant differences in PAHs concentrations in road dusts and soils while those in leaves were similarly. PAH homologue concentrations in road dusts and soils had significant difference in various functional areas with the priority of high molecular homologues. However, PAH homologue concentrations in leaves were similarly dominated by low molecular homologues. The accumulation characteristics were closely corresponding with the physicochemical property of PAHs and the main accumulation ways of PAHs in multimedia.