Simultaneous observation of seasonal variations of beryllium-7 and typical POPs in near-surface atmospheric aerosols in Guangzhou, China

Near-surface atmospheric aerosol samples were collected at the sampling frequency of 2–3 d per week for one year from August 2006 to August 2007 at a low latitude station in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of southern China. The samples were analyzed for cosmogenic nuclide 7Be and persistent organic pollutants, i.e. organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The annual average 7Be concentration was 2.59 mBq m−3, with the maximum occurred in May (8.45 mBq m−3) and minimum in late August and early September (0.07 mBq m−3). Winter and spring were the seasons in which the 7Be concentrations were high while summer and autumn were the lower 7Be seasons. Spring peaks in 7Be in the near-surface atmospheric aerosols may have associated with the “spring leak maximum” episode. The annual average ∑OCPs concentration was 345.6 pg m−3, ∑33PCBs 317.6 pg m−3, and ∑31PBDEs 609.0 pg m−3. The variation trends in the time-series of 7Be, OCPs, PCBs, and PBDEs in near-surface atmospheric aerosol showed both common features and differences. Significant correlations (R2 = 0.957 and 0.811. respectively, p = 0.01) were observed between the monthly average 7Be concentrations and those of ∑PCBs and ∑PBDEs in summer, autumn, and early winter. The difference between the seasonal variation features of OCPs and PCBs (and PBDEs) could be attributed to the different source functions and physical–chemical properties which could control the behaviors of these compounds in air–aerosol partitions as well as atmospheric transport.

► Simultaneous observation of seasonal variations of 7Be and typical POPs in aerosols.
► Correlation was observed between 7Be and typical POPs in aerosol in monsoon season.
► Application of 7Be as a tracer for long-range transport of POPs was attempted.