Spatial variability of atmospheric semivolatile organic compounds in Chile

In an effort to characterize the spatial variability of pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Chilean atmosphere, XAD-based passive air samplers (PAS) were deployed for 12 months (2006–2007) along three elevational gradients in Northern, Central and Southern Chile, for a total of 20 sampling sites, ranging in elevation from 10 to 4400 m and ranging over 26 degrees of latitude. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) had largely uniform air concentrations with latitude and altitude, and is therefore used to derive sampler specific sampling rates, that account for differences in uptake kinetics due to environmental factors such as altitude and temperature. Levels of pesticides in the atmosphere of Chile are very low and only α- and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane, α-endosulfan and chlorothalonil were present in all of the samples. The concentrations of these four pesticides in air decreased from North to South, with much steeper gradients for chlorothalonil and endosulfan. Chlorothalonil levels were greatly elevated in air samplers deployed in urban locations. Endosulfan concentrations in air tend to increase with elevation. Since endosulfan is particularly susceptible to mountain cold-trapping, such gradients may reflect the re-volatilization of endosulfan that had been preferentially deposited at higher altitudes. Alternatively, increasing endosulfan concentrations with elevation could be the result of transport to higher altitude sites from the other side of Andes. Airshed analysis indeed indicates that air masses originating outside of Chile have a higher influence on the higher elevation sites, especially along the Northern transect. Concentrations of four-ring PAHs ranged from 0.3 to 1300 pg m−3, with higher levels in air samplers deployed in urban areas and close to roads. PCB concentrations were low (0.7–27 pg m−3), with slightly higher levels of volatile congeners in two urban sampling sites in Concepcion and Arica. PCB-52 is the only congener present in all samples, with levels that are remarkably uniform across the country.

Research highlights
► Passive air samplers provide annual averaged air concentrations of PCBs, PAHs and pesticides at 20 sampling sites across Chile.
► Concentrations are low and generally represent Southern hemispheric background.
► Endosulfan concentrations in air tend to increase with elevation.
► Air masses originating outside of Chile have a higher influence on the higher elevation sites.