ATMOSPHERIC TOXAPHENE IN THE HIGH ARCTIC

The lack of information on seasonal variation of toxaphene(polychlorobornanes) in the arctic atmosphere has prompted a study in the Canadian north. Using high volume impactors with a 10 mum diameter size-selective inlet for particles and a collection cartridge consisting of a glass fiber filter followed by two polyurethane foam plugs, weekly samples were collected at Alert N.W.T on a routine basis during the first six months of 1992. Samples were extracted and analysed by GC-ECD and confirmed by low and high resolution GC-MS. Total toxaphene concentrations ranged from < 1.6 to 27 pg m-3. They were lowest in January and rose to a peak in June at the end of the measurement period. GC-MS showed that in general, fewer chlorobornanes were observed in the PUF samples than in the technical toxaphene standard and the less volatile components of each homolog group (with longer GC retention times) were reduced in their relative proportions. Samples were dominated by hepta- and octachlorobornanes. Routine analysis by GC-ECD with occasional confirmatory analysis by higher resolution GC-MS techniques is a promising practical approach to atmospheric toxaphene measurements in remote areas.