Editing Persistent organic pollutant (section)

=== Long-range transport ===
{{See also|Global distillation}}
POPs enter the [[gas]] phase under certain environmental temperatures and [[Volatility (chemistry)|volatilize]] from [[soil]]s, [[vegetation]], and [[bodies of water]] into the [[atmosphere]], resisting breakdown reactions in the air, to travel long distances before being re-deposited.<ref name="Kelly, B.C. 2007">{{cite journal |last1=Kelly |first1=Barry C. |last2=Ikonomou |first2=Michael G. |last3=Blair |first3=Joel D. |last4=Morin |first4=Anne E. |last5=Gobas |first5=Frank A. P. C. |title=Food Web–Specific Biomagnification of Persistent Organic Pollutants |journal=Science |date=13 July 2007 |volume=317 |issue=5835 |pages=236–239 |doi=10.1126/science.1138275 |pmid=17626882 |bibcode=2007Sci...317..236K |s2cid=52835862 }}</ref> This results in accumulation of POPs in areas far from where they were used or emitted, specifically environments where POPs have never been introduced such as [[Antarctica]], and the [[Arctic Circle]].<ref>{{cite journal | author1 = Beyer A.| author2=Mackay D.| author3=Matthies M.| author4=Wania F.| author5=Webster E. | year = 2000 | title = Assessing Long-Range Transport Potential of Persistent Organic Pollutants | journal = Environmental Science & Technology | volume = 34 | issue = 4| pages = 699–703 | doi = 10.1021/es990207w | bibcode = 2000EnST...34..699B }}</ref> POPs can be present as vapors in the atmosphere or bound to the surface of solid [[particulates|particles]] ([[aerosol]]s). A determining factor for the long-range transport is the fraction of a POP that is adsorbed on aerosols. In adsorbed form it is – as opposed to the gas phase – protected from photo-oxidation, i.e. direct [[photolysis]] as well as oxidation by [[OH radical]]s or ozone.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Koester|first1=Carolyn J.|last2=Hites|first2=Ronald A.|date=March 1992|title=Photodegradation of polychlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans adsorbed to fly ash|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|language=en|volume=26|issue=3|pages=502–507|doi=10.1021/es00027a008|bibcode=1992EnST...26..502K|issn=0013-936X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Raff|first1=Jonathan D.|last2=Hites|first2=Ronald A.|date=October 2007|title=Deposition versus Photochemical Removal of PBDEs from Lake Superior Air|journal=Environmental Science & Technology|language=en|volume=41|issue=19|pages=6725–6731|doi=10.1021/es070789e|pmid=17969687|bibcode=2007EnST...41.6725R|issn=0013-936X}}</ref>

POPs have low solubility in water but are easily captured by solid particles, and are soluble in organic fluids ([[oil]]s, [[fat]]s, and [[liquid fuel]]s). POPs are not easily degraded in the environment due to their stability and low [[Chemical decomposition|decomposition]] rates. Due to this capacity for long-range transport, POP environmental contamination is extensive, even in areas where POPs have never been used, and will remain in these environments years after restrictions implemented due to their resistance to degradation.<ref name="ritter" /><ref name="Wania, F. 1996">{{cite journal | author = Wania F., Mackay D. | year = 1996 | title = Tracking the Distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants | journal = Environmental Science & Technology | volume = 30 | issue = 9| pages = 390A–396A | doi = 10.1021/es962399q | pmid = 21649427 }}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis|last=Astoviza|first=Malena J.|title=Evaluación de la distribución de contaminantes orgánicos persistentes (COPs) en aire en la zona de la cuenca del Plata mediante muestreadores pasivos artificiales|date=15 April 2014|pages=160|publisher=Universidad Nacional de La Plata |doi=10.35537/10915/34729 |language=es|url=http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/34729|access-date=16 April 2014|type=Tesis |doi-access=free}}</ref>