Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41811218›Full record

ArticleEnvironmental science & technology2026

Polychlorinated Alkane Profiles and Concentrations in Bolivian Andes Soils Point to a Long-Range Transport Influence.

Bo Yuan, Cheng Wu, Cynthia A de Wit, Claudia Mohr, Marcos Andrade, Isabel Moreno, Volker Brüchert, Rienk Smittenberg, Matthew MacLeod

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Environmental science & technology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Bo YuanDepartment of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-2043-8128
Cheng WuDepartment of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Atmospheric Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 413 90, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-9648-2865
Cynthia A de WitDepartment of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-8497-2699
Claudia MohrDepartment of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.
Marcos AndradeLaboratory for Atmospheric Physics, Institute for Physics Research, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz 4787, Bolivia.
Isabel MorenoLaboratory for Atmospheric Physics, Institute for Physics Research, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz 4787, Bolivia.
Volker BrüchertDepartment of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden.
Rienk SmittenbergSwiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland.
Matthew MacLeodDepartment of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-2562-7339

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

High-altitude terrain may intersect the upper atmospheric boundary layer and exhibit distinct environmental dynamics. We investigated the anthropogenic pollutants polychlorinated alkanes (PCAs, also known as chlorinated paraffins) in surface soils along a transect from the La Paz-El Alto metropolitan area in Bolivia (3200-4100 masl) to the upper slopes of Mount Chacaltaya (>5200 masl), around 16 km away. Concentrations of PCAs in urban soils (750-5,230 ng/g organic carbon [OC]) decreased exponentially with increasing distance from the urban boundary, declining to ∼150 ng/g OC at elevations below 4,700 masl. Beyond 4,700 masl concentrations increased again, reaching levels comparable to those in the urban area, 1,670-4,300 ng/g OC, above 5,000 masl. Given that pollutant concentrations typically decline with distance from their source, this altitudinal trend, together with a pronounced shift in PCA forensic fingerprints near 4,700 masl, strongly suggests contributions from sources beyond the local metropolitan area. Carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures in organic carbon further support long-range transport as a source, consistent with previous modeling and observations that the upper slopes of Mount Chacaltaya predominantly receive air masses and organic carbon from distant regions via transport in the free troposphere. Our observation that pollutant levels in high-altitude areas are comparable to those in the metropolis of 1.8-million inhabitants underscores the efficiency of long-range atmospheric transport.

Indexed as

AlkanesHydrocarbons, ChlorinatedSoilAltitudeBoliviaEnvironmental MonitoringSoil PollutantsAlkanesHydrocarbons, ChlorinatedSoilSoil Pollutantsaltitudinal trendchlorinated paraffinsHigh-altitude environmentlong-range transporturban transport

Identifiers

PMID41811218
PMCPMC13019679

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.