Distribution of semi-volatile organic compounds, metals, and biological activities in two industrialized cities in Ontario, Canada using passive air sampling

Abstract

Industrial emissions contribute to air pollution in industrialized cities in North America, where higher concentrations of chemicals are linked to adverse effects on human health. In the present study, polyurethane foam passive air samplers (PUF-PAS) were deployed over a one-year period in two industrialized cities (5 sites per city – rural, residential, and urban) to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of 30 semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and 12 metals. Targeted SVOCs included polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), flame retardants (PBDEs and TDCPP), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs; cis Chlordane, Endosulfan I and 4,4’-DDE), and most pollutants were elevated at industrial locations. The annual average air concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs and OCPs ranged between 17 –– 631 pg/m3, while those of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ranged from 2 – 42 ng/m3. Concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene were greatest during the Winter and Spring, and exceeded the ambient air quality criterion (0.01 ng/m3) at all sites (0.03 – 0.50 ng/m3). Iron was the most abundant metal detected, and its spatial distribution likely reflected the presence of steel production. Chemical activated luciferase gene expression (CALUX®) assays for estrogenicity were below detection limits, while anti-androgenicity activity was measured at all sites with the greatest activity observed at locations most impacted by industrial emissions.