The spatial and temporal variations in the atmospheric concentrations of PCBs were concomitantly measured at several sites over a twelve-month period in Kuwait to examine seasonal variability and urban-rural concentration gradients using two sampling methods. The annual mean (and range) of ∑PCB concentrations measured using high volume samplers was 10.8 (1.2 – 32) pg m^-3at the remote site and 39.4 (1.1 – 128) pg m^-3at the urban site. The median concentrations of ΣPCBs at the urban location (30.3 pg m^-3) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) that that measured at the remote location (8.6 pg m^-3) consistent with the view that urban centers are an important net source of these compounds to the environment. Passive sampler derived concentrations across the country showed a uniform distribution except at a few locations in the vicinity of suspected sources where elevated concentrations were measured. As with active sampling data, the concentrations measured using passive samplers were higher in urban areas (range, 4 – 78 pg/m³) compared to remote sites (range, 2.2-17 pg/m³). The concentrations measured at some urban sites correlated extremely well with mean temperature during the deployment period whereas temperature correlations with measured concentrations were negative at remote and semi-rural sites suggesting that air-surface exchange maybe a key driving mechanism of the current levels of PCBs in Kuwait.

中文翻译：

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科威特多氯联苯的大气浓度的季节性变化

在科威特的十二个月期间内，在几个地点同时测量了多氯联苯的大气浓度的时空变化，以使用两种采样方法检查季节变化和城乡浓度梯度。使用大容量采样器测量的∑PCB浓度的年平均（和范围）在偏远站点为10.8（1.2 – 32）pg m ^-3，在城市站点为39.4（1.1 – 128）pg m ^-3。城市地区（30.3 pg m ^-3）的ΣPCBs中位数浓度显着高于偏远地区（8.6 pg m ^-3）的中位数浓度（p <0.001））与城市中心是这些化合物对环境的重要净来源的观点相一致。被动采样器得出的全国浓度显示出均匀的分布，除了在可疑源附近测得浓度升高的几个位置。与主动采样数据一样，城市地区（范围为4 – 78 pg / m ³）中使用被动采样器测量的浓度高于偏远地区（范围为2.2-17 pg / m ^3））。在部署期间，某些城市站点的测得浓度与平均温度高度相关，而在偏远和半农村站点，与测得浓度的温度相关为负，这表明空气表面交换可能是当前PCBs水平的关键驱动机制。科威特。