Abstract
This paper discusses the occurrence of organic contaminants bonded to particulate matter (PM) in ambient air. We describe the presence and concentration levels of contaminants mainly reported in atmospheres close to factories or at locations influenced by them, and the relationship between factory emissions and the type of organic contaminants found in PM samples from the surrounding air. Many organic contaminants have been found in these types of samples, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Their sources, fates and distributions in the ambient atmosphere are therefore well known. However, in addition to these most studied compounds, others are also of concern nowadays due to their detection and toxic effects on the environment. The continuous updating of regulations on these contaminants and the appearance of new air pollutants make it important to be aware of their occurrence. This will help to either establish new guidelines for the newer contaminants or reassess existing limitations for known ones. Moreover, if we know their occurrence, we can analyse their sources, destinations and distributions in the outdoor air.
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This work was supported by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO), the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (CTQ2017-84373-R).
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Alba Maceira performed the literature search and data analysis and drafted the first version and Francesc Borrull and Rosa Maria Marcé critically revised the work. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Maceira, A., Borrull, F. & Marcé, R.M. Occurrence of organic contaminants bonded to the particulate matter from outdoor air influenced by industrial activities. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 76644–76667 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23103-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23103-8