A special initiative was run by the Global Atmospheric Passive Sampling (GAPS) Network to provide atmospheric data on a range of emerging chemicals of concern and candidate and new persistent organic pollutants in the Group of Latin America and Caribbean (GRULAC) region. Regional-scale data for a range of flame retardants (FRs) including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphate esters (OPEs), and a range of alternative FRs (novel FRs) are reported over 2 years of sampling with low detection frequencies of the novel FRs. Atmospheric concentrations of the OPEs were an order of magnitude higher than all other FRs, with similar profiles at all sites. Regional-scale background concentrations of the poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including the neutral PFAS (n-PFAS) and perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), and the volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS) are also reported. Ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (EtFOSA) was detected at highly elevated concentrations in Brazil and Colombia, in line with the use of the pesticide sulfluramid in this region. Similar concentrations of the perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFAS) were detected throughout the GRULAC region regardless of location type, and the VMS concentrations in air increased with the population density of sampling locations. This is the first report of atmospheric concentrations of the PFAAs and VMS from this region.

Air Quality Processes Research Section Environment and Climate Change Canada Toronto Ontario M3H 5T4 Canada

Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances Universidad Nacional Heredia 86 3000 Costa Rica

CGCSA INECC Ciudad de Mexico 14210 Mexico

Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología Universidad San Sebastián Lientur 1457 Concepción 4080871 Chile

Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Cájeme Cájeme Sonora 85024 México

Laboratorio de Física de La Atmósfera Instituto de Investigaciones Física UMSA La Paz Bolivia

Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment Kamenice 753 5 pavillion A29 625 00 Brno Czech Republic

Universidad Nacional de Colombia Manizales 111321 Colombia

Universidad Nacional Mar del Plata IIMyC CONICET Mar del Plata 7600 Argentina

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande Instituto de Oceanografia Rio Grande RS 96203 900 Brazil

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