| Title: |
Emission inventories for POPs - on our understanding of the historical emissions of PCBs at global scale
|
| Resource Type: |
document --> technical publication --> proceedings / conference paper(s)
|
| Country: |
EU Projects
|
| Year of publication: |
2003 |
| Availability: |
Breivik, K. et al. (2003) Emission inventories for POPs - on our understanding of the historical emissions of PCBs at global scale. Persistent Toxic Substances Contamination of the European Region as a reflection of results of the GEF/UNEP Regional Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances (RBA PTS) in Europe, the implementation of the Stockholm Convention and 'Community Strategy for Dioxins, Furans and PCBs
|
| Author 1/Producer: |
Breivik, K.
|
| Other Authors/Producers: |
Daly, G., Grimalt J. O., Jones, K. C., Meijer, S. N. et al.
|
| Author / Producer Type: |
EC Project
|
| Format (e.g. PDF): |
PDF
|
|
EUGRIS Keyword(s): |
Diffuse pollution-->Contaminants-->Persistent Organic Pollutants
|
| Short description: |
Knowledge about the historical sources and emissions of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is essential if we are to understand and predict the fate of these chemicals in the global environment. However, reliable quantitative information may be particularly difficult to derive for chemicals that are emitted as temporally and spatially complex mixtures into the environment. In this presentation, a study aiming to quantify the global historical atmospheric emissions of selected PCBs from the onset of production until the year 2000 will be discussed (Sci Tot Env 2002; 290: 181-198; 199-224). The production of PCBs was addressed by collecting data from the literature on production of total PCB as well as of technical mixtures. These data agrees well with a previous study, where the cumulative global production was estimated to be about 1.5 million tonnes, of which 1.1 million tonnes could be accounted for. This information were coupled with data on the chemical composition of the mixtures in order to estimate the production of individual homologues and congeners. Whenever there were gaps in the data, assumptions were made to come up with quantitative estimates for the production of individual PCB constituents. Altogether, the data show that the American company Monsanto has been responsible for almost half of the total historical PCB production. More than 70% of the total PCB produced was in the form of Tri-CB, Tetra-CB and Penta-CB. The estimated total production of the selected 22 congeners ( PCB22) adds up to 0.566 million tonnes.Knowledge about the historical sources and emissions of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is essential if we are to understand and predict the fate of these chemicals in the global environment. However, reliable quantitative information may be particularly difficult to derive for chemicals that are emitted as temporally and spatially complex mixtures into the environment. In this presentation, a study aiming to quantify the global historical atmospheric emissions of selected PCBs from the onset of production until the year 2000 will be discussed (Sci Tot Env 2002; 290: 181-198; 199-224). The production of PCBs was addressed by collecting data from the literature on production of total PCB as well as of technical mixtures. These data agrees well with a previous study, where the cumulative global production was estimated to be about 1.5 million tonnes, of which 1.1 million tonnes could be accounted for. This information were coupled with data on the chemical composition of the mixtures in order to estimate the production of individual homologues and congeners. Whenever there were gaps in the data, assumptions were made to come up with quantitative estimates for the production of individual PCB constituents. Altogether, the data show that the American company Monsanto has been responsible for almost half of the total historical PCB production. More than 70% of the total PCB produced was in the form of Tri-CB, Tetra-CB and Penta-CB. The estimated total production of the selected 22 congeners ( PCB22) adds up to 0.566 million tonnes.
|
|
Submitted By:
|
Dr Stefan Gödeke WhoDoesWhat?
Last update: 14/02/2006
|
|
|
