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Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Switzerland Related to Long-Range Transboundary Transport – Results of a Case Study with Special Emphasis on the Spatial Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic and Chlorinated Air Borne Pollutants

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Organic Xenobiotics and Plants

Part of the book series: Plant Ecophysiology ((KLEC,volume 8))

Abstract

Representative samples of the foliose lichen Parmelia sulcata (Taylor) were collected from 33 spatially distributed measuring sites in Switzerland, representing all relevant sources of air pollution, such as industrial sites, big and mid sized cities and agglomeration, motorized traffic sites, rural and background sites, from plateau to alpine regions and were analysed for a big number of 88 individual chlorinated air pollutants and other volatile POPs from eight different chemical classes: Short chain chlorinated paraffin’ (CFC), chlorobenzenes, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH), organochlorine pesticides OCPs) polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDDs/PCDFs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Measurements were performed in order to explore patterns of long-range transport of these volatile and persistent air pollutants across Switzerland.

Comparison of the air pollution with POPs in areas with different types of land-use indicates that the burden emanating from within Switzerland, particularly in conurbations, is considerably greater than the amount transported over long-ranges and across national boundaries. However, the long-range transport certainly contributes to the background level of contamination.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. AGB, Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Bioindikation, Umweltbeobachtung und ökologische Planung, Quartiergasse 12, CH3013, Bern, Schwitzerland

    Rolf Herzig & Christoph Bieri

  2. Bundesamt für Umwelt, Bafu, Berne, Switzerland

    Andreas Weber & Peter Straehl

Authors
  1. Rolf Herzig
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  2. Christoph Bieri
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  3. Andreas Weber
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  4. Peter Straehl
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Correspondence to Rolf Herzig .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Inst. Biochem. Pflanzenphys., GSF-Forschungszentrum, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, Oberschleißheim, 85764, Germany

    Peter Schröder

  2. School of Human and Environmental Scienc, Department of Soil Science, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6DW, United Kingdom

    Christopher D. Collins

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Herzig, R., Bieri, C., Weber, A., Straehl, P. (2011). Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Switzerland Related to Long-Range Transboundary Transport – Results of a Case Study with Special Emphasis on the Spatial Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic and Chlorinated Air Borne Pollutants. In: Schröder, P., Collins, C. (eds) Organic Xenobiotics and Plants. Plant Ecophysiology, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9852-8_6

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