Passive air sampling of DDT, chlordane and HCB in the Pearl River Delta, South China: Implications to regional sources

Jun Wang, Lingli Guo, Jun Li, Gan Zhang, Celine S.L. Lee, Xiangdong Li, Kevin C. Jones, Yunrong Xiang, Liuju Zhong

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

76 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Pearl River Delta (PRD) is one of the largest fast-developing economic zones in China. Hong Kong and the mainland part of the PRD differed in socio-economic development history and chemical management policies. Polyurethane foam (PUF)-passive air sampling (PAS) was deployed at 21 regional air quality monitoring stations across the PRD in summer and winter, respectively. Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), chlordane and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were analyzed with GC-MS. High total DDT (240-3700 pg m-3) and chlordane (100-2600 pg m-3) concentrations were observed. Concentrations of DDTs and chlordane were higher in summer than winter; HCB vice versa. Spatially, the mainland part of the PRD generally displayed higher DDT concentrations than Hong Kong. Antifouling paint for fishing ships in coastal China was suggested to be an important current DDT source in the coast. The reason is unknown for the very low trans-/cis-chlordane (TC/CC) ratios (0.27) found in the mainland in winter. HCB concentrations were relatively uniform across the PRD, and long range transport of HCB from inland/North China to the PRD in winter was suggested.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)582-588
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Environmental Monitoring
Volume9
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Jun 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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