Widespread Pesticide Distribution in the European Atmosphere Questions their Degradability in Air.

Risk assessment of pesticide impacts on remote ecosystems makes use of model-estimated degradation in air. Recent studies suggest these degradation rates to be overestimated, questioning current pesticide regulation. Here, we investigated the concentrations of 76 pesticides in Europe at 29 rural, coastal, mountain, and polar sites during the agricultural application season. Overall, 58 pesticides were observed in the European atmosphere. Low spatial variation of 7 pesticides suggests continental-scale atmospheric dispersal. Based on concentrations in free tropospheric air and at Arctic sites, 22 pesticides were identified to be prone to long-range atmospheric transport, which included 15 substances approved for agricultural use in Europe and 7 banned ones. Comparison between concentrations at remote sites and those found at pesticide source areas suggests long atmospheric lifetimes of atrazine, cyprodinil, spiroxamine, tebuconazole, terbuthylazine, and thiacloprid. In general, our findings suggest that atmospheric transport and persistence of pesticides have been underestimated and that their risk assessment needs to be improved.

Spatial and Temporal Trends of Persistent Organic Pollutants across Europe after 15 Years of MONET Passive Air Sampling.

The Global Monitoring Plan of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was established to generate long-term data necessary for evaluating the effectiveness of regulatory measures at a global scale. After 15 years of passive air monitoring (2003-2019), MONET is the first network to produce sufficient data for the analysis of continuous long-term temporal trends of POPs in air across the entire European continent. This study reports long-term concentrations of 20 POPs monitored at 32 sites in 27 European countries. As of January 1, 2019, the concentration ranges (pg/m3) were 1.1-52.8 (∑6PCB), 0.3-8.5 (∑12dl-PCB), 0.007-0.175 (∑17PCDD/F), 0.02-2.2 (∑9PBDE), 0.4-24.7 (BDE 209), 0.5-247 (∑6DDT), 1.7-818 (∑4HCH), 15.8-74.7 (HCB), and 5.9-21.5 (PeCB). Temporal trends indicate that concentrations of most POPs have declined significantly over the past 15 years, with median annual decreases ranging from -8.0 to -11.5% (halving times of 6-8 years) for ∑6PCB, ∑17PCDD/F, HCB, PeCB, and ∑9PBDE. Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were observed in either the trends or the concentrations of specific POPs at sites in Western Europe (WEOG) compared to sites in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), which suggests relatively uniform compound-specific distribution and removal at the continental scale.

Personal care product use and lifestyle affect phthalate and DINCH metabolite levels in teenagers and young adults.

Humans are widely exposed to phthalates and their novel substitutes, and considering the negative health effects associated with some phthalates, it is crucial to understand population levels and exposure determinants. This study is focused on 300 urine samples from teenagers (aged 12-17) and 300 from young adults (aged 18-37) living in Czechia collected in 2019 and 2020 to assess 17 plasticizer metabolites as biomarkers of exposure. We identified widespread phthalate exposure in the study population. The diethyl phthalate metabolite monoethyl phthalate (MEP) and three di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites were detected in the urine of >99% of study participants. The highest median concentrations were found for metabolites of low-molecular-weight (LMW) phthalates: mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), monoisobutyl phthalate (MiBP) and MEP (60.7; 52.6 and 17.6 µg/L in young adults). 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester (DINCH) metabolites were present in 68.2% of the samples with a median of 1.24 µg/L for both cohorts. Concentrations of MnBP and MiBP were similar to other European populations, but 5-6 times higher than in populations in North America. We also observed large variability in phthalate exposures within the study population, with 2-3 orders of magnitude differences in urinary metabolites between high and low exposed individuals. The concentrations varied with season, gender, age, and lifestyle factors. A relationship was found between high levels of MEP and high overall use of personal care products (PCPs). Cluster analysis suggested that phthalate exposures depend on season and multiple lifestyle factors, like time spent indoors and use of PCPs, which combine to lead to the observed widespread presence of phthalate metabolites in both study populations. Participants who spent more time indoors, particularly noticeably during colder months, had higher levels of high-molecular weight phthalate metabolites, whereas participants with higher PCP use, particularly women, tended to have higher concentration of LMW phthalate metabolites.

Atmospheric PAHs in rural, urban, industrial and beach locations in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina: sources and health risk assessment.

The first atmospheric PAHs levels and associated inhalation cancer risk were assessed over southwest Buenos Aires region by deploying PUF disk PAS samplers. Eight sampling location included coastal zones, touristic beaches, and rural inland areas were considered. PUF disks were fortified with surrogate standards and extracted by automated Soxhlet prior to GC-MS analysis. Σ16 PAHs ranged from 1.13 to 44.5 ng m-3 (10.3 ± 9.8), while urban locations showed up to 10 times higher PAH levels than rural or beach locations. Direct sources of PAHs, such as intensive vehicle traffic, heating, and general combustion activities, were identified. PAHs with four to six rings (46.62%) were predominantly Flt, Pyr, BbF, and BkF, and carcinogenic risk was expressed by BaP (0.10 ± 0.07 ng m-3) and BaPTEQs (0.26 ± 0.22 ng m-3). Inhalation ECR (2.23E-5, WHO) presented the lowest risk at beach locations. Molecular ratios and PCA showed a strong dominance in pyrolytic sources, such as biomass and coal combustion, with a particular signature in fires at inland locations. Overall, this study demonstrated that PUF disk passive air sampling provided a sound and simple approach for tracking air PAHs, their sources and public health risks, bringing a cost-effective tool for pollution control measures, even at small and remote towns. This is particularly relevant in extensive countries with medium or low income, such as Argentina.

Trends of Diverse POPs in Air and Water Across the Western Atlantic Ocean: Strong Gradients in the Ocean but Not in the Air.

Oceans have remained the least well-researched reservoirs of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) globally, due to their vast scale, difficulty of access, and challenging (trace) analysis. Little data on POPs exists along South America and the effect of different currents and river plumes on aqueous concentrations. Research cruise KN210-04 (R/V Knorr) offered a unique opportunity to determine POP gradients in air, water, and their air-water exchange along South America, covering both hemispheres. Compounds of interest included polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Remote tropical Atlantic Ocean atmospheric concentrations varied little between both hemispheres; for HCB, BDEs 47 and 99, they were ∼5 pg/m3, PCBs were ∼1 pg/m3, α-HCH was ∼0.2 pg/m3, and phenanthrene and other PAHs were in the low 100s pg/m3. Aqueous concentrations were dominated by PCB 52 (mean 4.1 pg/L), HCB (1.6 pg/L), and ß-HCH (1.9 pg/L), with other compounds <1 pg/L. Target PCBs tended to undergo net volatilization from the surface ocean, while gradients indicated net deposition for a-HCH. In contrast to atmospheric concentrations, which were basically unchanged between hemispheres, we detected strong gradients in aqueous POPs, with mostly nondetects in the tropical western South Atlantic. These results highlight the importance of currents and loss processes on ocean scales for the distribution of POPs.

Temporal Trends of Persistent Organic Pollutants across Africa after a Decade of MONET Passive Air Sampling.

The Global Monitoring Plan of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was established to generate long-term data necessary for evaluating the effectiveness of regulatory measures at a global scale. After a decade of passive air monitoring (2008-2019), MONET is the first network to produce sufficient data for the analysis of long-term temporal trends of POPs in the African atmosphere. This study reports concentrations of 20 POPs (aldrin, chlordane, chlordecone, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan, HBCDD, HCB, HCHs, heptachlor, hexabromobiphenyl, mirex, PBDEs, PCBs, PCDDs, PCDFs, PeCB, PFOA, and PFOS) monitored in 9 countries (Congo, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, and Sudan). As of January 1, 2019, concentrations were in the following ranges (pg/m3): 0.5-37.7 (∑6PCB), 0.006-0.724 (∑17PCDD/F), 0.05-5.5 (∑9PBDE), 0.6-11.3 (BDE 209), 0.1-1.8 (∑3HBCDD), 1.8-138 (∑6DDT), 0.1-24.3 (∑3endosulfan), 0.6-14.6 (∑4HCH), 9.1-26.4 (HCB), 13.8-18.2 (PeCB). Temporal trends indicate that concentrations of many POPs (PCBs, DDT, HCHs, endosulfan) have declined significantly over the past 10 years, though the rate was slow at some sites. Concentrations of other POPs such as PCDD/Fs and PBDEs have not changed significantly over the past decade and are in fact increasing at some sites, attributed to the prevalence of open burning of waste (particularly e-waste) across Africa. Modeled airflow back-trajectories suggest that the elevated concentrations at some sites are primarily due to sustained local emissions, while the low concentrations measured at Mt. Kenya represent the continental background level and are primarily influenced by long-range transport.

Legacy and novel flame retardants from indoor dust in Antarctica: Sources and human exposure.

The air humidity in Antarctica is very low and this peculiar weather parameter make the use of flame retardants in research facilities highly needed for safety reasons, as fires are a major risk. Legacy and novel flame retardants (nFRs) including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), Dechlorane Plus (DP), and other nFRs were measured in indoor dust samples collected at research Stations in Antarctica: Gabriel de Castilla, Spain (GCS), Julio Escudero, Chile (JES), and onboard the RRS James Clark Ross, United Kingdom (RRS JCR). The GC-HRMS and LC-MS-MS analyses of dust samples revealed ∑7PBDEs of 41.5 ± 43.8 ng/g in rooms at GCS, 18.7 ± 11.6 ng/g at JES, and 27.2 ± 37.9 ng/g onboard the RRS JCR. PBDE pattern was different between the sites and most abundant congeners were BDE-183 (40%) at GCS, BDE-99 (50%) at JES, and BDE-153 (37%) onboard the RRS JCR. The ∑(4)HBCDs were 257 ± 407 ng/g, 14.9 ± 14.5 ng/g, and 761 ± 1043 ng/g in indoor dust collected in rooms at GCS, JES, and RRS JCR, respectively. The ∑9nFRs were 224 ± 178 ng/g at GCS, 14.1 ± 13.8 ng/g at JES, and 194 ± 392 ng/g on the RRS JCR. Syn- and anti-DP were detected in most of the samples and both isomers showed the highest concentrations at GCS: 163 ± 93.6 and 48.5 ± 61.1 ng/g, respectively. The laboratory and living room showed the highest concentration of HBCDs, DPs, BTBPE. The wide variations in FR levels in dust from the three research facilities and between differently used rooms reflect the different origin of furnishing, building materials and equipment. The potential health risk associated to a daily exposure via dust ingestion was assessed for selected FRs: BDEs 47, 99, and 153, α-, ß-, and γ-HBCD, BTBPE, syn- and anti-DP. Although the estimated exposures are below the available reference doses, caution is needed given the expected increasing use of novel chemicals without a comprehensive toxicological profile.

Oxygenated and Nitrated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Air-Levels, Phase Partitioning, Mass Size Distributions, and Inhalation Bioaccessibility.

Among the nitrated and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs and OPAHs) are some of the most hazardous substances to public health, mainly because of their carcinogenicity and oxidative potential. Despite these concerns, the concentrations and fate of NPAHs and OPAHs in the atmospheric environment are largely unknown. Ambient air concentrations of 18 NPAHs, 5 quinones, and 5 other OPAHs were determined at two urban and one regional background sites in central Europe. At one of the urban sites, the total (gas and particulate) concentrations of Σ10OPAHs were 10.0 ± 9.2 ng/m3 in winter and 3.5 ± 1.6 ng/m3 in summer. The gradient to the regional background site exceeded 1 order of magnitude. Σ18NPAH concentrations were typically 1 order of magnitude lower than OPAHs. Among OPAHs, 9-fluorenone and (9,10)-anthraquinone were the most abundant species, accompanied by benzanthrone in winter. (9,10)-Anthraquinone represented two-thirds of quinones. We found that a large fraction of the target substance particulate mass was carried by submicrometer particles. The derived inhalation bioaccessibility in the PM10 size fraction is found to be ≈5% of the total ambient concentration of OPAHs and up to ≈2% for NPAHs. For 9-fluorenone and (9,10)-anthraquinone, up to 86 and 18%, respectively, were found at the rural site. Our results indicate that water solubility could function as a limiting factor for bioaccessibility of inhaled particulate NPAHs and OPAHs, without considerable effect of surfactant lipids and proteins in the lung lining fluid.

Fast Formation of Nitro-PAHs in the Marine Atmosphere Constrained in a Regional-Scale Lagrangian Field Experiment.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and some of their nitrated derivatives, NPAHs, are seemingly ubiquitous in the atmospheric environment. Atmospheric lifetimes may nevertheless vary within a wide range, and be as short as a few hours. The sources and sinks of NPAH in the atmosphere are not well understood. With a Lagrangian field experiment and modeling, we studied the conversion of the semivolatile PAHs fluoranthene and pyrene into the 2-nitro derivatives 2-nitrofluoranthene and 2-nitropyrene in a cloud-free marine atmosphere on the time scale of hours to 1 day between a coastal and an island site. Chemistry and transport during several episodes was simulated by a Lagrangian box model i.e., a box model coupled to a Lagrangian particle dispersion model, FLEXPART-WRF. It is found that the chemical kinetic data do capture photochemical degradation of the 4-ring PAHs under ambient conditions on the time scale of hours to 1 day, while the production of the corresponding NPAH, which sustained 2-nitrofluoranthene/fluoranthene and 2-nitropyrene/pyrene yields of (3.7 ± 0.2) and (1.5 ± 0.1)%, respectively, is by far underestimated. Predicted levels of NPAH come close to observed ones, when kinetic data describing the reactivity of the OH-adduct were explored by means of theoretically based estimates. Predictions are also underestimated by 1-2 orders of magnitude, when NPAH/PAH yields reported from laboratory experiments conducted under high NOx conditions are adopted for the simulations. It is concluded that NPAH sources effective under low NOx conditions, are largely underestimated.

Characterizing Spatial Diversity of Passive Sampling Sites for Measuring Levels and Trends of Semivolatile Organic Chemicals.

Passive air sampling of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) is a relatively inexpensive method that facilitates extensive campaigns with numerous sampling sites. An important question in the design of passive-sampling networks concerns the number and location of samplers. We investigate this question with the example of 17 SVOCs sampled at 14 background sites across the Czech Republic. More than 200 time series (length 5-11 years) were used to characterize SVOC levels and trends in air between 2003 and 2015. Six polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 6 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and 5 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) at 14 sites were assessed using data from the MONET passive sampling network. Significant decreases were found for most PCBs and OCPs whereas hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and most PAHs showed (mostly insignificant) increases. Spatial variability was rather low for PCBs and OCPs except for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and rather high for PAHs. The variability of the SVOC levels and trends depends on characteristics of the sites including their remoteness, landscape, population, and pollution sources. The sites can be grouped in distinct clusters, which helps to identify similar and, thereby, potentially redundant sites. This information is useful when monitoring networks need to be optimized regarding the location and number of sites.

Contamination Profile of DDTs in the Shark Somniosus microcephalus from Greenland Seawaters.

DDT isomers were detected in all the liver and muscle samples of Greenland sharks Somniosus microcephalus (n = 15) caught in Greenland seawaters. The mean concentrations of ΣDDTs (sum of o,p' and p,p' DDT, DDD, and DDE isomers) were 1094 ± 818 ng/g lipid weight (lw) in the muscle and 761 ± 416 ng/g lw in the liver. The p,p'-DDE accounted for 48% ± 41% and 53% ± 54% of the total DDT residue in the white muscle and liver, respectively. The lipid content was 48% ± 10% in the muscle and 43% ± 17% in the liver. Female sharks showed the highest concentrations of ΣDDTs. The youngest shark showed higher concentrations of ΣDDTs in the liver than the older sharks. To our knowledge, this is one of the few investigations on DDT levels in S. microcephalus where concentrations were correlated to lipid content and sex/size.

Passive Air Samplers As a Tool for Assessing Long-Term Trends in Atmospheric Concentrations of Semivolatile Organic Compounds.

Many attempts have been made to quantify the relationship between the amount of persistent organic pollutants sequestered by passive air sampling devices and their actual concentrations in ambient air. However, this information may not be necessary for some applications. In this study, two sets of 30 ten-year-long time series of simultaneous passive and high-volume active air sampling carried out at the Kosetice observatory in the Czech Republic were used for a comparison of temporal trends. Fifteen polyaromatic hydrocarbons, seven polychlorinated biphenyls and eight organochlorine pesticides were investigated. In most cases, a good agreement was observed between the trends derived from passive and active monitoring with the exception of several compounds obviously affected by sampling artifacts. Two sampling artifacts were observed: breakthrough of high-volume sampler filters for penta- and hexachlorobenzene and semiquantitative values for PAHs with a high molecular weight. It has been suggested before that annually aggregated results of passive air monitoring may be used directly for the assessment of the long-term behavior of these compounds. The extensive set of long-term data used in this study allowed us to confirm this finding and to demonstrate that it is also possible to derive temporal trends and the compounds' half-lives in air from the passive-sampling time series.

Bioindication of PBDEs and PCBs by native and transplanted moss Pleurozium schreberi.

PBDEs and PCBs are toxic, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and the use of PCBs is forbidden, but they are still present in many environments and biota. 90-day assays were conducted with the moss Pleurozium schreberi transplanted from an uncontaminated control site to ten sites (rural and urban) selected in one of the most polluted regions of Upper Silesia in Poland. Native P. schreberi mosses were collected from the same ten polluted sites. Concentrations of PBDEs (28, 47, 66, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183 and 209) and PCBs (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) were determined in all native and transplanted P. schreberi from all sites. Native P. schreberi contained the highest ΣPBDE and ΣPCB levels (63.6ngg-1 and 4.47pgg-1, respectively) when collected in the vicinity of a steel smelter. After 90 days of the experiment native and transplanted P. schreberi contained the highest concentrations of the same BDE 209 congener (88-91% of total PBDEs in the native mosses and 85-90% of the total PBDE burden in the transplants). The native and transplanted mosses from the industrial sites after 90 days of exposure contained significantly higher concentrations of all the examined PBDE and PCB congeners (except for 153 and 180) than mosses from rural sites. PBDE and PCB values were higher in native than in transplanted mosses after 90 days of exposure in both rural and industrial sites.

Diurnal Variations of Air-Soil Exchange of Semivolatile Organic Compounds (PAHs, PCBs, OCPs, and PBDEs) in a Central European Receptor Area.

Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in air and soil, their fugacities, and the experimental soil-air partitioning coefficient (KSA) were determined at two background sites in the Gt. Hungarian Plain in August 2013. The concentrations of the semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) in the soil were not correlated with the organic carbon content but with two indirect parameters of mineralization and aromaticity, suggesting that soil organic matter quality is an important parameter affecting the sorption of SOCs onto soils. Predictions based on the assumption that absorption is the dominant process were in good agreement with the measurements for PAHs, OCPs, and the low chlorinated PCBs. In general, soils were found to be a source of PAHs, high chlorinated PCBs, the majority of OCPs and PBDEs, and a sink for the low chlorinated PCBs and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane. Diurnal variations in the direction of the soil-air exchange were found for two compounds (i.e., pentachlorobenzene and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane), with volatilization during the day and deposition in the night. The concentrations of most SOCs in the near-ground atmosphere were dominated by revolatilization from the soil.

Novel flame retardants detected in marine plastic litter in coastal areas in Central Chile.

Flame retardants (FRs) are released throughout the plastic life cycle, potentially impacting the environment, biodiversity, and human health. This study analyzed novel flame retardants (NFR) in marine plastic litter (MPL) from six coastal areas in central Chile in November 2017. Target chemicals (n = 19) were analyzed using ultrasonic extraction with hexane, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). From all nineteen NFRs analyzed, only ten (53 %) were routinely detected. BTBPE (1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane) showed the highest concentrations at the Bellavista site (618 to 424,000 pg g-1), and HBB (Hexabromobiphenyl), banned since 1970, was detected in Coliumo (2630 to 13,700 pg g-1). These results show emerging transport patterns and underscore the critical need for enhanced waste management practices for MPL in coastal regions to prevent adverse impacts on marine biodiversity.

Child exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides measured in urine, wristbands, and household dust and its implications for child health in South Africa: A panel study.

Background: Children in agricultural areas are exposed to organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) insecticides. This explorative study investigated child exposure to OPs and PYRs, comparing temporal and spatial exposure variability within and among urine, wristbands, and dust samples. Methods: During spraying season 2018, 38 South African children in two agricultural areas (Grabouw/Hex River Valley) and settings (farm/village) participated in a seven-day study. Child urine and household dust samples were collected on days 1 and 7. Children and their guardians were wearing silicone wristbands for seven days. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) evaluated temporal agreements between repeated urine and dust samples, Spearman rank correlations (Rs) evaluated the correlations among matrices, and linear mixed-effect models investigated spatial exposure predictors. A risk assessment was performed using reverse dosimetry. Results: Eighteen OPs/PYRs were targeted in urine, wristbands, and dust. Levels of chlorpyrifos in dust (ICC = 0.92) and diethylphosphate biomarker in urine (ICC = 0.42) showed strong and moderate temporal agreement between day 1 and day 7, respectively. Weak agreements were observed for all others. There was mostly a weak correlation among the three matrices (Rs = -0.12 to 0.35), except for chlorpyrifos in dust and its biomarker 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol in urine (Rs = 0.44). No differences in exposure levels between living locations were observed. However, 21% of the urine biomarker levels exceeded the health-risk threshold for OP exposure. Conclusions: Observed high short-term variability in exposure levels during spraying season highlights the need for repeated sampling. The weak correlation between the exposure matrices points to different environmental and behavioral exposure pathways. Exceeding risk thresholds for OP should be further investigated.

Air-soil cycling of oxygenated, nitrated and parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in source and receptor areas.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their oxygenated and nitrated derivatives, OPAHs and NPAHs, are semivolatile air pollutants which are distributed and cycling regionally. Subsequent to atmospheric deposition to and accumulation in soils they may re-volatilise, a secondary source which is understudied. We studied the direction of air-soil mass exchange fluxes of 12 OPAHs, 17 NPAHs, 25 PAHs and one alkylated PAH in two rural environments being influenced by the pollutant concentrations in soil and air, by season, and by land cover. The OPAHs and NPAHs in samples of topsoil, of ambient air particulate and gas phases and in the gas-phase equilibrated with soil were analysed by GC-APCI-MS/MS. The pollutants soil burdens show a pronounced seasonality, a winter maximum for NPAHs and PAHs and a summer maximum for OPAHs. One order of magnitude more OPAH and parent PAH are found stored in forest soil than in nearby grassland soil. Among a number of 3-4 ring PAHs, the OPAHs benzanthrone and 6H-benzo(c,d)pyren-6-one, and the NPAHs 1- and 2-nitronaphthalene, 9-nitrophenanthrene and 7-nitrobenz(a)anthracene are found to re-volatilise from soils at a rural background site in central Europe in summer. At a receptor site in northern Europe, net deposition of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) prevails and re-volatilisation occurs only sporadic. Re-volatilisation of a number of PACs, including strong mutagens, from soils in summer and even in winter indicates that long-range atmospheric transport of primary PAC emissions from central Europe to receptor areas might be enhanced by secondary emissions from soils.

PAHs on a west-to-east transect across the tropical Atlantic Ocean.

Surface water and atmospheric samples were collected across the tropical Atlantic Ocean on a transect of the R/V Endeavor in summer 2009 and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Across the entire tropical Atlantic Ocean, phenanthrene displayed on average highest dissolved concentrations (170 pg L(-1)), followed by pyrene (70 pg L(-1)) and fluoranthene (30 pg L(-1)). The Amazon plume was characterized by elevated dissolved concentrations of phenanthrene and benzo(g,h,i)fluoranthene. The warm eddy that we accidentally sampled at 66° W displayed highest concentrations of PAHs across the entire cruise, with phenanthrene, pyrene, and fluoranthrene all >1 ng L(-1). After having crossed the warm core, concentrations decreased back to previous levels. Samples taken in the Gulf Stream were below detection limit for all parent PAHs, implying very efficient removal processes. Dissolved dimethylphenanthrenes were frequently detected in the samples from the southern hemisphere, the Amazon plume, and in samples characteristic of the Gulf Stream and the U.S. East Coast. Atmospheric concentrations were dominated by gas-phase fluoranthene, pyrene, phenanthrene, and retene. Air-water gradients indicated that PAHs are mostly undergoing net deposition across the tropical Atlantic Ocean, with conditions closer to equilibrium off the U.S. East Coast and in Rhode Island Sound.

Exposure of children and adolescents from Northeastern Slovenia to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of high concern for the environment, wildlife, and human health due to their persistence and potential to cause adverse health effects. Despite political measures to restrict the production and distribution of PFAS and to limit the exposure of populations, PFAS can be measured at commonly high detection frequencies in human samples. Thus, this pilot study aimed to determine the serum concentrations of PFPA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFOS, PFHxA, PFDoDA, and PFBS in 113 girls and 112 boys (age 7-10 and 12-15) from Northeastern Slovenia - a rural area characterized by agricultural activities - and to identify potential sources of exposure using questionnaire data. PFAS were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after phospholipid removal. 9 out of 12 analytes were detected at detection frequencies above 30%, with the highest geometric means (GM) being observed for PFOS (GM 1.9 ng/mL) > PFOA (GM 1.0 ng/mL) > PFHxS (GM 0.3 ng/mL) = PFNA (GM 0.3 ng/mL). We identified the participants' socio-economic status, age, sex, sampling region, public water supply, and the consumption of fish and seafood, cereals, and locally produced fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms as the predominant determinants of exposure. Furthermore, we compared our results with the serum and plasma concentrations reported for similar age groups in other studies and concluded that PFAS exposure in this highly agricultural area in Slovenia is notably low. This is the first study systematic HBM study of PFAS exposure in Slovenia, although it was conducted on a limited number of participants representative of rural and agricultural areas, it represents a good basis for upgrading the approach to a nationwide HBM study.

Plastic debris, persistent organic pollutants and their toxicity impacts in coastal areas in Central Chile.

The chemical components of plastic wastes have made their disposal a major economic, social, and environmental problem worldwide. This study evaluated the acute toxicity and genotoxicity of marine plastic debris on the beaches of Concepción Bay, Central Chile, taken during three periods (spring, summer, and winter). An integrated approach was used, including chemical and toxicological data, using the Microtox® test with Vibrio fischeri and SOS chromotest with Escherichia coli and concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The results presented here exclusively include the novel data obtained from the winter campaign, revealing high concentrations of PBDEs (238 ± 521 ng g-1). In addition, the genotoxicity and acute toxicity tests were sensitive for most of the samples studied. This investigation is the first attempt to analyse the toxicity of plastic debris in coastal areas along the Chilean coast.