Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Prioritizing organic chemicals for long-term air monitoring by using empirical monitoring data—application to data from the Swedish screening program

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper illustrates a step-by-step approach for evaluating chemical monitoring data in air and deposition and for prioritizing chemicals to be included in long-term air monitoring programs. The usability of the method is shown by application to data generated within the Swedish screening program. The suggested prioritization approach uses a novel methodology by combining empirical data on occurrence in air and deposition with publicly available quantitative structure activity relationship estimation tools that predict atmospheric persistence and bioaccumulation. A selection tree is presented, which may be used by regulatory bodies to prioritize chemicals for long-term air monitoring. A final ranking list is presented proposing a prioritization order for inclusion in monitoring programs. Based on the suggested strategy, the chemicals identified as most relevant to include in Swedish long-term monitoring programs were short-chain chlorinated paraffins(C10–C13), perfluorooctane sulfonate, octachlorostyrene, hexabromocyclododecane, hexachlorobenzene, pentachloroanisole, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, pentachlorobenzene, 1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene, hexachlorobutadiene, dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane, perfluorodecane sulfonate, 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorobenzene, and pentabromophenol.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

Notes

  1. For example, 2000/60/EC, 1996/62/EC, 1999/30/EC, 2000/69/EC, 2004/107/EC, 2001/81/EC, 1996/61/EC, the 2001 Stockholm Convention on POPs, the Convention on long-range trans-boundary air pollution—LRTAP

  2. Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals

  3. Executive Body Decision 1998/2. ECE.EB/AIR/60

References

  • Armitage, J., Cousins, I. T., Buck, R. C., Prevedouros, K., Russell, M. H., MacLeod, M., et al. (2006). Modeling global-scale fate and transport of perfluorooctanoate emitted from direct sources. Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 6969–6975.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arnot, J. A., & Mackay, D. (2008). Policies for chemical hazard and risk priority setting: can persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity, and quantity information be combined? Environmental Science and Technology, 42, 4648–4653.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arnot, J. A., Mackay, D., Webster, E., & Southwood, J. M. (2006). Screening level risk assessment model for chemical fate and effects in the environment. Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 2316–2323.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson, R. (1986). Kinetics and mechanisms of gas-phase reactions of the hydroxyl radical with organic compounds under atmospheric conditions. Chemistry Review, 86, 69–201.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson, R. (1987). A structure-activity relationship for the estimation of rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with organic compounds. International Journal of Chemical Kinetics, 19, 799–828.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, U., Holmström, K. & Bignert A. (2008). Oroande ökning av perfluorerade ämnen. In Havet, 2008, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, ISSN 1654–6741. In Swedish

  • Boethling, R. S., Lynch, D. G., Jaworska, J. S., Tunkel, J. L., Thom, G. C., & Webb, S. (2004). Using BIOWIN, Bayes, and batteries to predict ready biodegradability. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23, 911–920.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christiansson, A., Eriksson, J., Teclechiel, D., & Bergman, Å. (2009). Identification and quantification of products formed via photolysis of decabromodiphenyl ether. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 16, 312–321.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Environment Canada (2011). Search Engine for Substances on the DSL. http://www.ec.gc.ca/lcpe-cepa/default.asp?lang=En&n=5F213FA8-1&wsdoc=D031CB30-B31B-D54C-0E46-37E32D526A1F. Accessed January 2011

  • Fenner, K., Scheringer, M., MacLeod, M., Matthies, M., McKone, T., Stroebe, M., et al. (2005). Comparing estimates of persistence and long-range transport potential among multimedia models. Environmental Science and Technology, 39, 1932–1942.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, S., Almkvist, Å., Karlsson, E., & Åkerblom, M. (2006). Preparation of a Product Register based Exposure Index. Swedish Chemicals Agency

  • Klasmeier, J., Matthies, M., MacLeod, M., Fenner, K., Scheringer, M., Stroebe, M., et al. (2006). Application of multimedia models for screening assessment of long-range transport potential and overall persistence. Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 53–60.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kwok, E. S. C., & Atkinson, R. (1995). Estimation of hydroxyl radical reaction rate constants for gas-phase reactions of the OH radical using a structure-reactivity relationship: an update. Atmospheric Environment, 29, 1685–1695.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matthies, M., Klasmeier, J., Beyer, A., & Ehling, C. (2009). Assessing Persistence and long-range transport potential of current-use pesticides. Environmental Science and Technology, 43, 9223–9229.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moreira Bastos, P., Eriksson, J., Green, N., & Bergman, Å. (2008). A standardized method for assessment of oxidative transformations of brominated phenols in water. Chemosphere, 70, 1196–1202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu, Y., Eriksson, J., Granelli, L., & Bergman, Å. (2009). An improved method for assessing relative nucleophilic substitution reactivities of polychlorinated benzenes. Chemosphere, 75, 78–82.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SEPA. (2008). Information & facts. Screening in Environmental Monitoring. ISBN 978-91-620-8322-9 January 2008

  • SEPA. (2011a). Toxic pollutants and heavy metals screening database. http://www3.ivl.se/miljo/db/IVL_screening_registersida.htm.

  • SEPA. (2011b). Reports—toxic substances coordination. Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.naturvardsverket.se/en/In-English/Start/State-of-the-environment/Environmental-monitoring/Reports-on-environmental-monitoring/Reports--Toxic-substances-coordination2/

  • Stock, N. L., Furdui, V. I., Muir, D. C., & Mabury, S. A. (2007). Perfluoroalkyl contaminants in the Canadian Arctic: evidence of atmospheric transport and local contamination. Environmental Science and Technology, 41, 3529–3536.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Undeman, E., Fischer, S., & McLachlan, M. S. (2011). Evaluation of a novel high throughput screening tool for relative emissions of industrial chemicals used in chemical products. Chemosphere, 82, 996–1001.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • US EPA. (2011) Estimation Programs Interface Suite™ for Microsoft® Windows, v 4.00]. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA.

  • Wang, T., Wang, Y., Liao, C., Cai, Y., & Jiang, G. (2009). Perspectives on the inclusion of perfluorooctane sulfonate into the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants. Environmental Science and Technology, 43(14), 5171–5175.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wania, F., & Mackay, D. (1996). Global fractionation and cold condensation of low volatile organochlorine compounds in polar regions. Ambio, 22, 10–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisbrod, A. V., Burkhard, L. P., Arnot, J., Mekenyan, O., Howard, P. H., Russom, C., et al. (2007). Workgroup report: review of fish bioaccumulation databases used to identify persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic substances. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(2), 255–261.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was financed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The manuscript was improved by suggestions from Professors Michael McLachlan and Ian Cousins as well as Hildred Crill at Stockholm University and three anonymous reviewers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IVL, Swedish Environmental Research Institute Ltd, Box 21060, 100 31, Stockholm, Sweden

    Anna Palm Cousins & Eva Brorström-Lundén

  2. Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Valhallavägen 195, 106 48, Stockholm, Sweden

    Britta Hedlund

Authors
  1. Anna Palm Cousins
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Eva Brorström-Lundén
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Britta Hedlund
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna Palm Cousins.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

List of all chemicals assessed in the current study, measured concentration ranges and the results from the evaluation process (PDF 430 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Palm Cousins, A., Brorström-Lundén, E. & Hedlund, B. Prioritizing organic chemicals for long-term air monitoring by using empirical monitoring data—application to data from the Swedish screening program. Environ Monit Assess 184, 4647–4654 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2292-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2292-3

Keywords