Tropospheric concentrations of the chlorinated solvents, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene, measured in the remote Northern Hemisphere

Dimmer, C.H., McCulloch, A., Simmonds, P.G., Nickless, G., Bassford, M.R. and Smythe-Wright, D. (2001) Tropospheric concentrations of the chlorinated solvents, tetrachloroethene, and trichloroethene, measured in the remote Northern Hemisphere. Atmospheric Environment, 35 (7), 1171-1182. (doi:10.1016/S1352-2310(00)00427-1).

Abstract

A fully automated twin ECD gas chromatograph system with sample enriching adsorption–desorption primary stage was deployed on two field campaigns – Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Arctic Norway (July–September 1997), and the RRS Discovery CHAOS cruise of the northeast Atlantic (April–May 1998). Concentrations of an extensive set of halocarbons were detected at hourly intervals at pptv levels. We present here the results obtained for the chlorinated solvents, tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). Average baseline PCE and TCE concentrations of 1.77 and 0.12 pptv, respectively, were recorded in Ny-Ålesund. During pollution incidences, concentrations rose to 5.61 (PCE) and 3.18 pptv (TCE). The cruise data showed average concentrations ranging from 4.26 (PCE) and 1.66 pptv (TCE) for air masses originating over the North Atlantic and Arctic open oceans, to maxima of 15.59 (PCE) and 17.51 pptv (TCE) for polluted air masses from Northern Europe. The data sets emphasise the difficulties in defining remote sites for background tropospheric halocarbon measurements, as Ny-Ålesund research station proved to be a source of tetrachloroethene. The data also suggest possible oceanic emissions of trichloroethene in the sub-tropical ocean.

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