Applying the Global Monitoring Plan and analysis of POPs results in atmospheric air in Mexico (2017–2018)

Air is one of the target matrices of the Global Monitoring Plan (GMP) of the Stockholm Convention to determine concentrations and transport of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Mexico participates in the GMP for POPs in ambient air through the AIR-Global Environment Facility (GEF) program. The objective of this study was to analyze the results of POPs monitoring of air samples collected in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, between 2017 and 2018. Passive samplers were used for the determination of chlorinated basic POPs, indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (Ind. PCBs), polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs). A principal component analysis was applied to determine relationships between pollutants and groups present in the ambient air of the rural study area. Of the total POPs analyzed, 85.56% were detected in ambient air samples from Mexico. Organochlorine compounds, as DDT derivatives, were identified mainly, as well as PBDEs, PCDDs, and PCDFs. The prevalence of compounds differed according to the seasonality of sampling, with no change in average concentration between monitoring years. [Display omitted] •Passive air samplers were used to identify POPs in ambient air from a rural area of Mexico.•Mixtures of POPs were detected in all air samples analyzed, showing seasonal variability.•Most of the chemicals regulated by the Stockholm Convention were detected in the air.•This study is one of the efforts to characterize groups of POPs in the air of a rural area of Mexico.•The data generated contributed to the GRULAC regional report in compliance with the Stockholm Convention.