Correlating Gas/Particle-Phase Concentration of Indicator Polychlorinated Biphenyls with Meteorological Factors in Bayburt, an Important University City of Turkey

This study was carried out in two seasons in Bayburt University Baberti Campus (BUBC) in Bayburt city, which is an important university city in Turkey. Gas and particle phase atmospheric concentrations of Urban atmospheric Indicator Polychlorinated Biphenyls (i-PCBs: PCB#28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) were determined at first. Then, by using different methods, the interactions between i-PCB concentrations and meteorological factors were investigated. Gas and particle phases of atmospheric i-PCB samples were collected using a high-volume air sampler (HVAS) in BUBC . Following this stage, the samples were analyzed in a gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometer (GC-MS) by passing through appropriate extraction steps. According to the data obtained, the average gas phase ∑i-PCB concentration for the summer month was determined to be 11.314 pg/m3 during the sampling period while the average particle phase ∑i-PCB concentration was found to be 2.145 pg/m3. The average gas phase ∑i-PCB concentration was found to be 4.582 pg/m3 for the winter period while it was found to be 1.756 pg/m3 for the average particle phase ∑i-PCB concentration. In addition, the average total concentrations of i-PCBs were calculated to be 19.797 pg/m3. It was determined that meteorological factors especially temperature (from the Clausius–Clapeyron equation), wind velocity and direction, and rainfall have significant impacts on i-PCB concentration and its distribution. In light of these data, i-PCB concentrations determined in the gas phase were found to be higher than those in the particle phase. In addition, concentration rates determined in summer months were calculated to be higher compared to those calculated for winter months.