Mass transfer coefficients for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the water surface sampler:: comparison to modeled results

A sampling program was conducted between June and October 1995 in Chicago, IL using a modified water surface sampler (WSS) and dry deposition plates to measure the particulate dry deposition and gas exchange of PAHs. Oxygen transfer experiments were also conducted to evaluate the collection properties of the WSS for gas-phase compounds. Gas-phase fluxes were determined by subtracting the dry deposition plate fluxes (particulate) from WSS fluxes (particulate+gas). These fluxes were divided by concurrently measured ambient concentrations to obtain overall gas phase mass transfer coefficients. Two different two-film models, one developed based on experiments performed with the WSS and, one previously published, were compared to these results. Experimentally determined average gas phase overall mass transfer coefficient (Kg) for seven PAHs was 0.74±0.52 cm s−1. Experimental Kg values agreed well with those predicted by the model developed for WSS. The values predicted by previously proposed models were within a factor of 3 of the experimental ones.