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ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORT OF TOXAPHENE TO LAKE MICHIGAN
Citation:
Rice, C., P. Samson, AND G. Noguchi. ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORT OF TOXAPHENE TO LAKE MICHIGAN. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/3-84/101.
Description:
Atmospheric levels of toxaphene were monitored during the summer and fall of 1981 at 4 locations: Greenville, Mississippi, St. Louis, Missouri, Bridgman, Michigan, and Beaver Island, Michigan. Each collection was conducted by continuously sampling air during the first two weeks of the months of August, September, October, and November. The collected toxaphene was analyzed on a capillary equipped electron capture gas chromatograph. The average concentrations over the entire sampling period for each site were 7.39 ng/cu m in Greenville, 1.18 ng/cu m in St. Louis, and 0.27 ng/cu m for Lake Michigan (Bridgman and Beaver Island combined). The summer versus fall fluctuations in amount of toxaphene at each site was 0.44 ng/cu m versus 0.26 ng/cu m for Bridgman; 1.73 ng/cu m versus 0.63 ng/cu m for St. Louis; and 9.05 ng/cu m versus 4.34 ng/cu m for Greenville. The maximum monthly average occurred in September for all of these collections. Diagnostic modeling to describe possible air transport of toxaphene showed that at all receptor locations the air transport corridor for toxaphene was associated with southerly winds.