Identification and quantitative analysis of PTS; Monitoring of PTS in the environment and biota;

1. Experience in monitoring of airborne POPs, mercury and other metals in Russian Arctic. Perspectives for Research Program at Tiksi ObservatoryAlexey KonoplevCentre for Environmental Chemistry (CEC)SPA “Typhoon”, Obninsk, Russia, konoplev@obninsk.com Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

2. PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES OF THE CEC SPA “TYPHOON” • Identification and quantitative analysis of PTS; • Monitoring of PTS in the environment and biota; • Mechanisms of migration and transformation of PTS in the environment and process-level modeling Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

3. ANALYTICAL METHODS • For Organic Contaminants: Capillary Gas Chromatography (CGC) and Gas Chromatography/Mass-spectrometry (GC/MS) • For Heavy Metals: Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) using both flame and Zeeman graphite-furnace AA • The Center has specially equipped rooms for sample storage, sample preparation, sample extraction and instrumental analysis Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

4. POPs and Hg air monitoring at Russian Arctic sites • Amderma:- POPs – 2001 - 2003;- Hg – 2001 – 2007 • Dunay:- POPs – 1993 – 1994 • Val’karkay (Chukchi):- POPs – 2002-2003 Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

5. MONITORING OF AIRBORN POPs IN RUSSIAN ARCTIC Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

6. Relevant previous and ongoing programs • In Canada POPs monitoring has been operating at Alert since 1992; • In USA – Point Barrow; • In Norway - Ny Alesund; Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

7. Objectives of POPs air monitoring • To measure the concentrations of selected POPs in the atmosphere of Russian Arctic • This provides the opportunity to make comparative analysis of POPs in the ambient air for different areas of the Arctic and the basis for modelling of their environmental transport • The data allow to assess the efficacy of international Conventions such as Stockholm Convention on POPs and Convention on transboundary air pollution Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

8. The list of determined compounds includes 154 individual substances: • 46 OCP and their metabolites (chlorobenzenes, DDT, mirex, Toxaphenes, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, chlordane etc.); • 88 PCB congeners; • 20 PAH. Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

9. Methods and materials The same protocols of sampling and analyses are used as for Arctic Air Toxics Network in CANADA and AMAP Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

10. Methods and materials Weekly samples are collected by means of a high volume sampler with a size-selective inlet for particles and a collection cartridge consisting of a glass fibre filter (particles < 10 m) followed by two polyurethane foam (PUF) sorbent plugs (organic vapours). Samples are shipped to the laboratory and extracted with hexane (PUFs) or dichloromethane (filters). Approximately one-half of the extract is used for clean-up and analysis by GC-MS. Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

11. Air POPs monitoring: Summary • In generalatmospheric concentrations of most OCP at Amderma are similar to other Arctic sites • Levels of PAH at Amderma are consistent with levels from Dunai where annual average levels were greater than at Canadian Arctic sites • Concentrations of a number POPs especially PCBs and PAH at Val’karkay (Chukchi) are elevated as compare to Amderma and Dunay Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

12. Air POPs monitoring: Summary • Atmospheric PCB contamination in Amderma during summer was rather due to evaporation from underlying surface than due to their long-range transport • In winter, contribution of long-range transport was sufficiently high and apparently determined the atmospheric PCB concentrations in Amderma • Temporally all of the data for Arctic sites are not being collected concurrently making comparison of absolute levels difficult as these are affected by multiple factors including the important influence of meteorology that is highly variable Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

13. Objectives of Hg air monitoring • To establish monitoring station for Atmospheric Mercury Measurements in Russian Arctic • To obtain data on time dependency of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) for Russian site and to compare with data sets for other Arctic stations Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

14. Sites of monitoring stations at Amderma Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

15. Instrument: TEKRAN 2537A Mercury Vapor Analyzer Training in Obninsk Training in Amderma Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

16. Regular visits to the site Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

17. Time dependency of mercury concentration at Amderma, 2001-2007 Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

18. Hg monitoring at Amderma - Main Conclusions • Gaseous elemental mercury at Amderma varies mainly within range from 1.5 to 2 ng/m3 whichcorresponds to the levels for North American sites and global background level for Northern Hemisphere; • After polar sunrise (end of March - Start of June) mercury depletion event occurs - Hg concentration becomes very variable (from 0 to 2 ng/m3); • Maximum Hg concentration (2-2.5 ng/m3) occurs at Summer time (June-July) Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

19. Perspectives for Research Program at Tiksi Observatory

20. Scientific Objectives • To provide quantitative data describing the levels of persistent toxic substances (PTS) in the Arctic atmosphere at Tiksi; • To assess the rate of deposition of these contaminants to Arctic environments; • To estimate source regions for detected contaminants Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

21. Sampling equipment • In order results of analyses of PTS at Tiksi and other Arctic stations (Alerty, Barrow, Ny Alesund) are comparable, it is recommended that one type sampling equipment. • The sampling equipment should include a system of air sampling for POPs analysis on PUFs and fiber filters and mercury analyzer Tekran 2537A. • It is proposed that mounting and testing of equipment be performed by specialists of the SPA «Typhoon». Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

22. Air sampling at Tiksi • Sampling and maintenance of samplers will be the responsibility of local operators at Tiksi. • Training of personnel should be organized by specialists of SPA «Typhoon». • The state of the station and operations should be controlled by specialists of SPA «Typhoon» at least once a quarter. • Air sampling for POPs and analysis is planned to be performed continuously, with replacement of concentration filters once a week. • Analysis of mercury vapor in the air will be done on one-hour basis. • Exposed filters used for POPs analysis and computer data on mercury vapor content are to be delivered to the CEC SPA «Typhoon» for processing and analysis once a quarter. Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

23. Analysis for POPs • Samples to be collected at Tiksi station will be analyzed in the CEC of SPA «Typhoon». • Analysis for POPs will be performed by GC/MS and capillary high-resolution gas chromatography. • All analytical methods will be similar to the US EPA techniques. QA/QC will be provided according to developed program. Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007

24. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!! Tiksi Meeting, Boulder, 7 March 2007