Selected Persistent Organic Pollutants in Ambient Air in Turkey: Regional Sources and Controlling Factors

As a result of its unique location, Turkey receives air masses from Europe, Russia, Middle East, and Africa, making it an important place in terms long-range atmospheric transport (LRT) contaminants. Atmospheric levels 22 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 45 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 14 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured two metropolitan cities, Istanbul Izmir, on weekly basis May 2014 to 2015. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) derivatives dominant OCP species, followed by isomers hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) at both sites. The annual mean concentration ∑DDX (sum o,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDT, o,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDD, o,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDE) was 82 pg/m3 for 89 while these about 46 ∑HCHs α-, β-, γ-, δ-HCH) the At stations, tri- tetra-PCBs tetra- penta-PBDEs congeners. temperature dependence indicates that LRT local contaminated areas contribute elevated levels. A Lagrangian particle dispersion model (FLEXPART) showed few potential source regions northern Africa southern–southwestern eastern Europe including as well domestic areas.