Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and flame retardants are commercial compounds that can negatively impact the environment and human health. Long-range transport (LRT) of contaminants to remote regions, such as the Arctic, has been observed, although mechanisms remain uncertain. My group uses size-resolved aerosol sampling and precipitation to understand how these compounds can be transported long distances through the atmosphere. Size-resolved aerosols can provide insight into sources and transport potential of chemicals. We collected marine aerosols ranging from 10 nm to 10 µm in diameter over a year and analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and their marine-produced natural analogues. Relationships to wind speed, aerosol loading, and seasonal phytoplankton blooms will be discussed, as well as implications for LRT. Spatially- or temporally-resolved precipitation sampling can provide a useful measurement of trends in atmospheric deposition that can be used to elucidate transport mechanisms. My group has collected samples over two years across a latitudinal transect in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as High Arctic ice cores. Both sets of samples have been analyzed for PFAS contamination. The relationship of PFAS levels to inorganic tracers and known production changes that can provide insights into PFAS LRT will be discussed.

Understanding long-range transport of perfluoroalkyl substances and flame retardants

256th National Meeting (2018)

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