Peter Schmid | Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and Research (original) (raw)

Papers by Peter Schmid

Research paper thumbnail of Mortality of birds of prey following field application of granular carbofuran: A case study

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 1995

Research paper thumbnail of Altitude profiles of total chlorinated paraffins in humus and spruce needles from the Alps (MONARPOP)

Environmental Pollution, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Emissions of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo- p -dioxins, and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans during 2010 and 2011 in Zurich, Switzerland

Environmental Science & Technology, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Zurich, Switzerland-Atmospheric Concentrations and Emissions

Environmental science & technology, Jan 30, 2015

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are of concern due to their potential for adverse healt... more Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are of concern due to their potential for adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, persistence, and long-range transport. Data on concentrations of SCCPs in urban areas and underlying emissions are still scarce. In this study, we investigated the levels and spatial distribution of SCCPs in air, based on two separate, spatially resolved sampling campaigns in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. SCCP concentrations in air ranged from 1.8 to 17 ng·m(-3) (spring 2011) and 1.1 to 42 ng·m(-3) (spring 2013) with medians of 4.3 and 2.7 ng·m(-3), respectively. Both data sets show that atmospheric SCCP levels in Zurich can vary substantially and may be influenced by a number of localized sources within this urban area. Additionally, continuous measurements of atmospheric concentrations performed at one representative sampling site in the city center from 2011 to 2013 showed strong seasonal variations with high SCCP concentrations in summer and lower level...

Research paper thumbnail of An Acheulean handaxe from Gladysvale Cave Site, Gauteng, South Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Annually-layered lake sediments reveal strongly increased release of persistent chemicals due to accelerated glacier melting

Melting glaciers may represent a secondary source of chemical pollutants that have previously bee... more Melting glaciers may represent a secondary source of chemical pollutants that have previously been incorporated and stored in the ice. Of particular concern are persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as the insecticide dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) and industrial chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are hazardous environmental contaminants due to their persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties. They were introduced in the

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of α-isomer dominated HBCD (hexabromocyclododecane) in Swiss fish at levels comparable to PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)

Research paper thumbnail of Biocides used in building materials and their leaching behavior to sewer systems

Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research, 2007

There is increasing concern about diffuse pollution of aquatic systems by biocides used in urban ... more There is increasing concern about diffuse pollution of aquatic systems by biocides used in urban areas. We investigated sources and pathways of biocides significant for the pollution of storm water runoff. Main sources seem to be building envelopes, i.e. facades (paints, plasters) and roof sealing membranes. First results from a defined urban catchment drained by a separated sewer system without any agricultural activities reveal a substantial occurrence. Even after the first flush, concentrations of terbutryn, carbendazim, mecoprop as well as Irgarol 1051 and its metabolite exceeded the Swiss water quality standard of 0.1 microg/L. In laboratory experiments, leaching of mecoprop used as a root protection agent in bitumen sheets for roof waterproofing was determined. The concentrations differed in 16 different sheets two orders of magnitude, depending on the product composition. Using optimized products, it is expected to be the most efficient and sustainable way to reduce the envir...

Research paper thumbnail of Organic pollutants in compost and digestate: occurrence, fate and impacts

SUMMARY: A yearly amount of 9.3×106t compost and digestate derived from separately collected orga... more SUMMARY: A yearly amount of 9.3×106t compost and digestate derived from separately collected organic waste is produced in the 25 European Union member states. The improvement of soil properties is a major benefit of compost application. However, little is known about the occurrence of organic pollutants in compost. In the present study, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ortho substituted and dioxin-like polychlorinated

Research paper thumbnail of Levels, fluxes and time trends of persistent organic pollutants in Lake Thun, Switzerland: Combining trace analysis and multimedia modeling

Science of The Total Environment, 2010

Levels, mass fluxes, and time trends of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinate... more Levels, mass fluxes, and time trends of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Lake Thun, a peri-Alpine lake, are investigated. We present measurements of PBDEs and PCBs in air, lake water, lake sediment, and tributary water. These measurements are combined with a multimedia fate model, based on site-specific environmental parameters from the lake catchment. Measured loadings of PBDEs and PCBs in air and tributaries were used to drive the model. The model satisfactorily reproduces PBDE and PCB congener patterns in water and sediment, but it tends to yield concentrations in water below the measurements and concentrations in sediment exceeding the measurements. A sensitivity analysis reveals that partitioning of PBDEs and PCBs between the aqueous dissolved phase and suspended particulate matter in the water column strongly affects the model results, in particular the concentrations in water and sediment. For lower-brominated PBDEs, approximately 70% and 30% of input into the lake stems from atmospheric deposition and from tributaries, respectively. For heavier PBDEs and all PCBs, rivers appear to deliver the major load (64-92%). Waste water effluents are of minor importance. 50-90% of the total input is buried in the permanent sediment. Sediment burial makes PBDEs and PCBs less available for recycling in the environment, and reduces concentrations in the outflowing river. If use of deca-BDE increases in the future, levels in Lake Thun will follow the same trend. If the use and resulting environmental emissions decrease, concentrations in water will rapidly decline, according to our calculations, while sediment levels will decrease at a considerably slower rate.

Research paper thumbnail of See-Sedimente als Zeugen der Schadstoffbelastung

Nachrichten aus der Chemie, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of Organic pollutants in compost and digestate. : Part 2. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and -furans, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated alkyl substances, pesticides, and other compounds

Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2007

In Europe, 9.3 x 10(6) t(dry weight (dw)) of compost and digestate are produced per year. Most of... more In Europe, 9.3 x 10(6) t(dry weight (dw)) of compost and digestate are produced per year. Most of this is applied to agricultural land, which can lead to considerable inputs of organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to soil. This paper presents an inventory of the pollutant situation in source-separated composts, digestates and presswater in Switzerland by a detailed analysis of over 70 samples. PCB concentrations ( summation PCB 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) were significantly higher in urban (median: 30 microg kg(-1)dw, n = 52) than in rural samples (median: 14 microg kg(-1)dw, n = 16). Together with low concentrations in general, this points to aerial deposition on compost input material as the major contamination pathway. Enantiomeric fractions of atropisometric PCB were close to racemic. Median PAH concentration was 3010 microg kg(-1)dw( summation 15PAH, n = 69), and one quarter of the samples exhibited concentrations above the relevant Swiss guide value for compost (4000 microg kg(-1)dw). The levels were influenced by the treatment process (digestate > compost), the season of input material collection (spring-summer > winter > autumn), the particle size (coarse-grained > fine-grained), and maturity (mature > less mature). The main source of PAH in compost was pyrogenic, probably influenced mainly by liquid fossil fuel combustion and some asphalt abrasion, as suggested by multiple linear regression. This study, together with a companion paper reporting on other organic contaminates including emerging compound classes, provides a starting point for a better risk-benefit estimation of the application of compost and digestate to agricultural soil in Switzerland.

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro estrogenicity of ambient particulate matter: contribution of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Journal of Applied Toxicology, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Delayed diagnosis of HIV infection and late initiation of antiretroviral therapy in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Low- and High-Oxidation Diesel Particulate Filters on Genotoxic Exhaust Constituents

Environmental Science & Technology, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Anaerobic Degradation of Decabromodiphenyl Ether

Environmental Science & Technology, 2005

The environmental safety of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209), a widely used flame retardant, has... more The environmental safety of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209), a widely used flame retardant, has been the topic of controversial discussions during the past several years. Degradation of BDE-209 into lower brominated diphenyl ether congeners, exhibiting a higher bioaccumulation potential, has been a critical issue. Here, we report on the degradation of BDE-209 and the formation of octa- and nonabromodiphenyl ether congeners under anaerobic conditions. Sewage sludge collected from a mesophilic digester was used as the inoculum and incubated up to 238 days with and without a set of five primers. Following Soxhlet extraction and a liquid chromatography cleanup procedure, parent compounds and debromination products were analyzed by GC/HRMS. In experiments with primers, concentrations of BDE-209 decreased by 30% within 238 days. This corresponds to a pseudo-first-order degradation rate constant of 1 x 10(-3) d(-1). Without primers, the degradation rate constant was 50% lower. Formation of two nonabromodiphenyl ether and six octabromodiphenyl ether congeners proved that BDE-209 underwent reductive debromination in these experiments. Debromination occurred at the para and the meta positions, whereas debromination at the ortho position was not statistically significant. All three nonabromodiphenyl ether congeners (BDE-206, BDE-207, and BDE-208) were found to undergo reductive debromination as well. No significant change of the BDE-209 concentration and no formation of lower brominated congeners was observed in sterile control experiments. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating microbially mediated reductive debromination of BDE-209 under anaerobic conditions.

Research paper thumbnail of Joint Sealants:  An Overlooked Diffuse Source of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Buildings

Environmental Science & Technology, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Hexabromocyclododecane Challenges Scientists and Regulators

Environmental Science & Technology, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Sediment Record and Atmospheric Deposition of Brominated Flame Retardants and Organochlorine Compounds in Lake Thun, Switzerland: Lessons from the Past and Evaluation of the Present

Environmental Science & Technology, 2008

Chronology of brominated fame retardants (BFRs), a class of currentlywidely used chemicals, was c... more Chronology of brominated fame retardants (BFRs), a class of currentlywidely used chemicals, was compared to the respective historical profiles of legacy organochlorine compounds in three dated sediment cores from a prealpine lake (Lake Thun, Switzerland). Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) started to increase in the 1980s-1990s. In the more recent sediment layers, PBDEs still had steady or increasing concentrations, whereas for HBCDs one sediment core revealed a decreasing trend. In contrast to the contemporary BFRs, concentrations of legacy organochlorines, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), peaked in deeper sediment layers deposited some decades ago. Measurements of atmospheric deposition and evaluation of wastewater discharges pointtoward deposition on the lake surface as a relevant input pathway and wastewater as a minor source of POPs in Lake Thun. The effect of the environmental awareness and the regulations taken in the 1970s to reduce environmental pollution of organochlorines is well reflected in the analyzed sediment cores. The sediment burden closely follows estimated time trends of consumption and emission of PCBs and DDT. The current residues in sediment of BFRs are still lower than the historical peak levels of organochlorines. However, current atmospheric deposition of BFRs is similar to deposition of PCBs. Considering the high amount of BFRs presently stocked in the anthroposphere in flame proofed materials, further measures to reduce emissions during BFRs life cycle are recommended to prevent high environmental pollution as it occurred for the organochlorine compounds.

Research paper thumbnail of Blast from the Past: Melting Glaciers as a Relevant Source for Persistent Organic Pollutants

Environmental Science & Technology, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Mortality of birds of prey following field application of granular carbofuran: A case study

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 1995

Research paper thumbnail of Altitude profiles of total chlorinated paraffins in humus and spruce needles from the Alps (MONARPOP)

Environmental Pollution, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Emissions of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo- p -dioxins, and Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans during 2010 and 2011 in Zurich, Switzerland

Environmental Science & Technology, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Zurich, Switzerland-Atmospheric Concentrations and Emissions

Environmental science & technology, Jan 30, 2015

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are of concern due to their potential for adverse healt... more Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are of concern due to their potential for adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, persistence, and long-range transport. Data on concentrations of SCCPs in urban areas and underlying emissions are still scarce. In this study, we investigated the levels and spatial distribution of SCCPs in air, based on two separate, spatially resolved sampling campaigns in the city of Zurich, Switzerland. SCCP concentrations in air ranged from 1.8 to 17 ng·m(-3) (spring 2011) and 1.1 to 42 ng·m(-3) (spring 2013) with medians of 4.3 and 2.7 ng·m(-3), respectively. Both data sets show that atmospheric SCCP levels in Zurich can vary substantially and may be influenced by a number of localized sources within this urban area. Additionally, continuous measurements of atmospheric concentrations performed at one representative sampling site in the city center from 2011 to 2013 showed strong seasonal variations with high SCCP concentrations in summer and lower level...

Research paper thumbnail of An Acheulean handaxe from Gladysvale Cave Site, Gauteng, South Africa

Research paper thumbnail of Annually-layered lake sediments reveal strongly increased release of persistent chemicals due to accelerated glacier melting

Melting glaciers may represent a secondary source of chemical pollutants that have previously bee... more Melting glaciers may represent a secondary source of chemical pollutants that have previously been incorporated and stored in the ice. Of particular concern are persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as the insecticide dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) and industrial chemicals like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are hazardous environmental contaminants due to their persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties. They were introduced in the

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of α-isomer dominated HBCD (hexabromocyclododecane) in Swiss fish at levels comparable to PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)

Research paper thumbnail of Biocides used in building materials and their leaching behavior to sewer systems

Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research, 2007

There is increasing concern about diffuse pollution of aquatic systems by biocides used in urban ... more There is increasing concern about diffuse pollution of aquatic systems by biocides used in urban areas. We investigated sources and pathways of biocides significant for the pollution of storm water runoff. Main sources seem to be building envelopes, i.e. facades (paints, plasters) and roof sealing membranes. First results from a defined urban catchment drained by a separated sewer system without any agricultural activities reveal a substantial occurrence. Even after the first flush, concentrations of terbutryn, carbendazim, mecoprop as well as Irgarol 1051 and its metabolite exceeded the Swiss water quality standard of 0.1 microg/L. In laboratory experiments, leaching of mecoprop used as a root protection agent in bitumen sheets for roof waterproofing was determined. The concentrations differed in 16 different sheets two orders of magnitude, depending on the product composition. Using optimized products, it is expected to be the most efficient and sustainable way to reduce the envir...

Research paper thumbnail of Organic pollutants in compost and digestate: occurrence, fate and impacts

SUMMARY: A yearly amount of 9.3×106t compost and digestate derived from separately collected orga... more SUMMARY: A yearly amount of 9.3×106t compost and digestate derived from separately collected organic waste is produced in the 25 European Union member states. The improvement of soil properties is a major benefit of compost application. However, little is known about the occurrence of organic pollutants in compost. In the present study, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ortho substituted and dioxin-like polychlorinated

Research paper thumbnail of Levels, fluxes and time trends of persistent organic pollutants in Lake Thun, Switzerland: Combining trace analysis and multimedia modeling

Science of The Total Environment, 2010

Levels, mass fluxes, and time trends of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinate... more Levels, mass fluxes, and time trends of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Lake Thun, a peri-Alpine lake, are investigated. We present measurements of PBDEs and PCBs in air, lake water, lake sediment, and tributary water. These measurements are combined with a multimedia fate model, based on site-specific environmental parameters from the lake catchment. Measured loadings of PBDEs and PCBs in air and tributaries were used to drive the model. The model satisfactorily reproduces PBDE and PCB congener patterns in water and sediment, but it tends to yield concentrations in water below the measurements and concentrations in sediment exceeding the measurements. A sensitivity analysis reveals that partitioning of PBDEs and PCBs between the aqueous dissolved phase and suspended particulate matter in the water column strongly affects the model results, in particular the concentrations in water and sediment. For lower-brominated PBDEs, approximately 70% and 30% of input into the lake stems from atmospheric deposition and from tributaries, respectively. For heavier PBDEs and all PCBs, rivers appear to deliver the major load (64-92%). Waste water effluents are of minor importance. 50-90% of the total input is buried in the permanent sediment. Sediment burial makes PBDEs and PCBs less available for recycling in the environment, and reduces concentrations in the outflowing river. If use of deca-BDE increases in the future, levels in Lake Thun will follow the same trend. If the use and resulting environmental emissions decrease, concentrations in water will rapidly decline, according to our calculations, while sediment levels will decrease at a considerably slower rate.

Research paper thumbnail of See-Sedimente als Zeugen der Schadstoffbelastung

Nachrichten aus der Chemie, 2000

Research paper thumbnail of Organic pollutants in compost and digestate. : Part 2. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and -furans, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated alkyl substances, pesticides, and other compounds

Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2007

In Europe, 9.3 x 10(6) t(dry weight (dw)) of compost and digestate are produced per year. Most of... more In Europe, 9.3 x 10(6) t(dry weight (dw)) of compost and digestate are produced per year. Most of this is applied to agricultural land, which can lead to considerable inputs of organic pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to soil. This paper presents an inventory of the pollutant situation in source-separated composts, digestates and presswater in Switzerland by a detailed analysis of over 70 samples. PCB concentrations ( summation PCB 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) were significantly higher in urban (median: 30 microg kg(-1)dw, n = 52) than in rural samples (median: 14 microg kg(-1)dw, n = 16). Together with low concentrations in general, this points to aerial deposition on compost input material as the major contamination pathway. Enantiomeric fractions of atropisometric PCB were close to racemic. Median PAH concentration was 3010 microg kg(-1)dw( summation 15PAH, n = 69), and one quarter of the samples exhibited concentrations above the relevant Swiss guide value for compost (4000 microg kg(-1)dw). The levels were influenced by the treatment process (digestate > compost), the season of input material collection (spring-summer > winter > autumn), the particle size (coarse-grained > fine-grained), and maturity (mature > less mature). The main source of PAH in compost was pyrogenic, probably influenced mainly by liquid fossil fuel combustion and some asphalt abrasion, as suggested by multiple linear regression. This study, together with a companion paper reporting on other organic contaminates including emerging compound classes, provides a starting point for a better risk-benefit estimation of the application of compost and digestate to agricultural soil in Switzerland.

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro estrogenicity of ambient particulate matter: contribution of hydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Journal of Applied Toxicology, 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Delayed diagnosis of HIV infection and late initiation of antiretroviral therapy in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study

Research paper thumbnail of Impact of Low- and High-Oxidation Diesel Particulate Filters on Genotoxic Exhaust Constituents

Environmental Science & Technology, 2010

Research paper thumbnail of Anaerobic Degradation of Decabromodiphenyl Ether

Environmental Science & Technology, 2005

The environmental safety of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209), a widely used flame retardant, has... more The environmental safety of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209), a widely used flame retardant, has been the topic of controversial discussions during the past several years. Degradation of BDE-209 into lower brominated diphenyl ether congeners, exhibiting a higher bioaccumulation potential, has been a critical issue. Here, we report on the degradation of BDE-209 and the formation of octa- and nonabromodiphenyl ether congeners under anaerobic conditions. Sewage sludge collected from a mesophilic digester was used as the inoculum and incubated up to 238 days with and without a set of five primers. Following Soxhlet extraction and a liquid chromatography cleanup procedure, parent compounds and debromination products were analyzed by GC/HRMS. In experiments with primers, concentrations of BDE-209 decreased by 30% within 238 days. This corresponds to a pseudo-first-order degradation rate constant of 1 x 10(-3) d(-1). Without primers, the degradation rate constant was 50% lower. Formation of two nonabromodiphenyl ether and six octabromodiphenyl ether congeners proved that BDE-209 underwent reductive debromination in these experiments. Debromination occurred at the para and the meta positions, whereas debromination at the ortho position was not statistically significant. All three nonabromodiphenyl ether congeners (BDE-206, BDE-207, and BDE-208) were found to undergo reductive debromination as well. No significant change of the BDE-209 concentration and no formation of lower brominated congeners was observed in sterile control experiments. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating microbially mediated reductive debromination of BDE-209 under anaerobic conditions.

Research paper thumbnail of Joint Sealants:  An Overlooked Diffuse Source of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Buildings

Environmental Science & Technology, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Hexabromocyclododecane Challenges Scientists and Regulators

Environmental Science & Technology, 2005

Research paper thumbnail of Sediment Record and Atmospheric Deposition of Brominated Flame Retardants and Organochlorine Compounds in Lake Thun, Switzerland: Lessons from the Past and Evaluation of the Present

Environmental Science & Technology, 2008

Chronology of brominated fame retardants (BFRs), a class of currentlywidely used chemicals, was c... more Chronology of brominated fame retardants (BFRs), a class of currentlywidely used chemicals, was compared to the respective historical profiles of legacy organochlorine compounds in three dated sediment cores from a prealpine lake (Lake Thun, Switzerland). Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) started to increase in the 1980s-1990s. In the more recent sediment layers, PBDEs still had steady or increasing concentrations, whereas for HBCDs one sediment core revealed a decreasing trend. In contrast to the contemporary BFRs, concentrations of legacy organochlorines, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), peaked in deeper sediment layers deposited some decades ago. Measurements of atmospheric deposition and evaluation of wastewater discharges pointtoward deposition on the lake surface as a relevant input pathway and wastewater as a minor source of POPs in Lake Thun. The effect of the environmental awareness and the regulations taken in the 1970s to reduce environmental pollution of organochlorines is well reflected in the analyzed sediment cores. The sediment burden closely follows estimated time trends of consumption and emission of PCBs and DDT. The current residues in sediment of BFRs are still lower than the historical peak levels of organochlorines. However, current atmospheric deposition of BFRs is similar to deposition of PCBs. Considering the high amount of BFRs presently stocked in the anthroposphere in flame proofed materials, further measures to reduce emissions during BFRs life cycle are recommended to prevent high environmental pollution as it occurred for the organochlorine compounds.

Research paper thumbnail of Blast from the Past: Melting Glaciers as a Relevant Source for Persistent Organic Pollutants

Environmental Science & Technology, 2009