Although synthetic musk fragrances (SMFs) are present in many consumer products and toxicological data continues to present evidence for human and environmental toxicity or sensitivity, atmospheric concentrations of these chemicals in urban and suburban areas are not particularly well-characterized. To better understand air concentration trends for 7 SMFs (HHCB, AHTN, ATII, ADBI, AHMI, Musk Xylene and Musk Ketone) in a large metropolitan area, an extensive passive air sampling network was established and operated throughout Chicago, Lake Michigan, and along an urban-rural gradient extending beyond the city's suburbs from 2010 to 2013. 128 Passive samples from 36 sites were collected on polyurethane foam discs (PUF) in 6-week deployments over land and water (Figure 1). While passive sampling allowed for broad and affordable sample collection, the method traditionally places heavy reliance on theoretical principles to predict a sampling rate (Rs), used to determine average concentrations. This study used field-deployed PCB depuration compounds as reference compounds (an empirical approach) and meteorological modeling (a theoretical approach) to predict site- and compound-specific estimates of Rs for terrestrial and over-water samples. Using the model by Petrich et al., theoretical Rs-values ranged from 3.8 to 7.9 m3 d-1 for all sites. Empirical studies suggested over-water sampling rates were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those for terrestrial sites, where empirical and theoretical Rs-values differed by a factor of 2 or less. Average terrestrial air concentrations ranged from 32 � 66 pg m-3 for ADBI to 2.5 � 3.3 ng m-3 for HHCB (n=112). Empirical Rs results suggest that over-water samples rapidly reached equilibrium with air and that the theoretical approach was not appropriate for calculating air concentrations in that environment. Equilibrium concentrations independent of Rs were instead calculated for over-water samples, and ranged from 4.2 � 1.4 pg m-3 for ATII to 2.8 � 0.3 ng m-3 for HHCB (n=16).

Synthetic musk fragrances in Chicago and Lake Michigan air

248th National Meeting (2014)

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