Levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Antarctic atmosphere over time (1980 to 2021) and estimation of their atmospheric half-lives

Abstract. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are synthetic compounds that were intentionally produced in large quantities and have been distributed the global environment, originating a threat due to their persistence, bioaccumulative potential, toxicity. POPs reach Antarctic continent through long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT). In these areas, low temperatures play significant role environmental fate of POPs, retaining them for long time cold trapping by diffusion wet deposition, acting as net sink many POPs. However, current context climate change, remobilization trapped water, ice, soil decades is happening. Therefore, continuous monitoring polar air necessary assess whether there recent re-release historical back environment. We reviewed scientific literature on levels several POP families (polychlorinated biphenyls – PCBs, hexachlorobenzene HCB, hexachlorocyclohexanes HCHs, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DDT) from 1980 2021. estimated half-life using characteristic decreasing times (TD). observed HCB atmosphere higher than other target organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), but also displayed fluctuations did not show decrease over time. Conversely, some DDTs, PCBs decreased significantly. The half-lives following order: 4,4' DDE (13.5 years) > DDD (12.8 DDT (7.4 2,4' (6.4 (6.3 α-HCH (6 γ-HCH (4.2 years). For PCB congeners, they 153 (7.6 138 (6.5 101 (4.7 180 (4.6 28 (4 52 (3.7 118 (3.6 HCH isomers Stockholm Convention (SC) ban an impact during last decades. Nevertheless, ubiquity shows problematic issues related highly persistent chemicals.