Development of a passive sampling device using polyurethane foam (PUF) to measure polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) near landfills

Abstract

Recently passive air sampling techniques have been extensively studied and employed in the environmental monitoring of semi volatile chemicals. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) samples were collected for 4-week intervals throughout one year from a landfill in Bursa, Turkey. In this study, a passive air sampler (PAS) was designed using polyurethane foam (PUF). The differences between PAS employed in this study and in literature are their shape and ventilation approach. Ventilation pipes, located on top and bottom of the sampler, were employed to prevent precipitation and particles from entering inside the sampler. The sampling rates (R) for PUF was calculated as 7.3m3/d for PCBs and as 3.9m3/d for OCPs. The determined average concentrations were 311 +/- 178 pg/m3 for PCBs, 198 +/- 210 pg/m3 for OCPs.