Summer–winter concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of short chain chlorinated paraffins in the atmosphere of an urban setting

Short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are semi-volatile chemicals that are considered persistent in the environment, potential toxic and subject to long-range transport. This study investigates the concentrations and gas-particle partitioning of SCCPs at an urban site in Beijing during summer and wintertime. The total atmospheric SCCP levels ranged 1.9–33.0 ng/m3 during wintertime. Significantly higher levels were found during the summer (range 112–332 ng/m3). The average fraction of total SCCPs in the particle phase (ϕ) was 0.67 during wintertime but decreased significantly during the summer (ϕ = 0.06). The ten and eleven carbon chain homologues with five to eight chlorine atoms were the predominant SCCP formula groups in air. Significant linear correlations were found between the gas-particle partition coefficients and the predicted subcooled vapor pressures and octanol–air partition coefficients. The gas-particle partitioning of SCCPs was further investigated and compared with both the Junge–Pankow adsorption and Koa-based absorption models.

► Short chain chlorinated paraffins were investigated in air samples from Beijing.
► Higher levels of SCCPs were found in air during summertime than wintertime.
► Relevant physical–chemical properties were estimated by SPARC and EPI Suite.
► Obtained data were used to model the gas-particle partitioning of SCCPs.