Persistent organic pollutants in global surface soils: Distributions and fractionations

Yi-Fan Li; Shuai Hao; Wan-Li Ma; Pu-Fei Yang; Wen-Long Li; Zi-Feng Zhang; Li-Yan Liu; Robie W. Macdonald

Environmental Science and Ecotechnology (Mar 2024)

Persistent organic pollutants in global surface soils: Distributions and fractionations

Yi-Fan Li,
Shuai Hao,
Wan-Li Ma,
Pu-Fei Yang,
Wen-Long Li,
Zi-Feng Zhang,
Li-Yan Liu,
Robie W. Macdonald

Affiliations

Yi-Fan Li: International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology (PA-HIT), Harbin, 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin, 150090, China; IJRC-PTS-NA, Toronto, ON, M2J 3N8, Canada; Corresponding author. International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, Heilongjiang, China.
Shuai Hao: International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology (PA-HIT), Harbin, 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin, 150090, China
Wan-Li Ma: International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology (PA-HIT), Harbin, 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin, 150090, China; Corresponding author. International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
Pu-Fei Yang: International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology (PA-HIT), Harbin, 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin, 150090, China
Wen-Long Li: College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
Zi-Feng Zhang: International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology (PA-HIT), Harbin, 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin, 150090, China
Li-Yan Liu: International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology (PA-HIT), Harbin, 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin, 150090, China
Robie W. Macdonald: Institute of Ocean Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, P.O. Box 6000, Sidney, BC, V8L 4B2, Canada; Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 18
p. 100311

Abstract

Read online

The distribution and fractionation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in different matrices refer to how these pollutants are dispersed and separated within various environmental compartments. This is a significant study area as it helps us understand the transport efficiencies and long-range transport potentials of POPs to enter remote areas, particularly polar regions. This study provides a comprehensive review of the progress in understanding the distribution and fractionation of POPs. We focus on the contributions of four intermedia processes (dry and wet depositions for gaseous and particulate POPs) and determine their transfer between air and soil. These processes are controlled by their partitioning between gaseous and particulate phases in the atmosphere. The distribution patterns and fractionations can be categorized into primary and secondary types. Equations are developed to quantificationally study the primary and secondary distributions and fractionations of POPs. The analysis results suggest that the transfer of low molecular weight (LMW) POPs from air to soil is mainly through gas diffusion and particle deposition, whereas high molecular weight (HMW) POPs are mainly via particle deposition. HMW-POPs tend to be trapped near the source, whereas LMW-POPs are more prone to undergo long-range atmospheric transport. This crucial distinction elucidates the primary reason behind their temperature-independent primary fractionation. However, the secondary distribution and fractionation can only be observed along a temperature gradient, such as latitudinal or altitudinal transects. An animation is produced by a one-dimensional transport model to simulate conceptively the transport of CB-28 and CB-180, revealing the similarities and differences between the primary and secondary distributions and fractionations. We suggest that the decreasing temperature trend along latitudes is not the major reason for POPs to be fractionated into the polar ecosystems, but drives the longer-term accumulation of POPs in cold climates or polar cold trapping.

Published in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology

ISSN: 2666-4984 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences; Technology: Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environmental-science-and-ecotechnology

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords