Long-range atmospheric transport of persistent organic pollutants to remote lacustrine environments

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2014-09, Vol.493, p.505-520
• Main Authors: Ruiz-Fernández, Ana Carolina, Ontiveros-Cuadras, Jorge Feliciano, Sericano, José L., Sanchez-Cabeza, Joan-Albert, Liong Wee Kwong, Laval, Dunbar, Robert B., Mucciarone, David A., Pérez-Bernal, Libia Hascibe, Páez-Osuna, Federico
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Applied sciences; Atmosphere - chemistry; Central Mexico; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - analysis; Lake sediments; Lakes - chemistry; Long range atmospheric transport; PAHs; PBDEs; PCBs; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Soil - chemistry; Soil and sediments pollution; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.05.002

Concentrations, temporal trends and fluxes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs: PAHs, PCBs and PBDEs) were determined in soil and 210Pb-dated sediment cores from remote lacustrine environments (El Tule and Santa Elena lakes) in rural areas of Central Mexico. In both areas, the concentrations of target analytes in soil and sediment samples were comparable and indicative of slightly contaminated environments. The prevalence of low-molecular-weight PAHs in soils suggested their mainly atmospheric origin, in contrast to the aquatic sediments where runoff contribution was also significant. Increasing contamination trends of PCBs and PBDEs were evident, showing maximum fluxes of 4.8±2.1 and 0.3±0.1ngcm−2a−1 for PCBs and PBDEs, respectively. The predominance of lower-brominated PBDEs and lower-chlorinated PCBs in soils and sediments indicated that their presence is mostly due to long-range atmospheric transport. [Display omitted] •Persistent organic pollutants in soils and 210Pb-dated lake cores from Central Mexico•PCB and PBDE concentrations showed ongoing increasing contamination trends.•Light brominated BDEs and lower chlorinated CBs abounded in soils and sediments.•The prevalent POP source to lake sediments is long range atmospheric transport.