Persistent organic pollutants in soil samples from mountain beech forests across Europe

Background and Aims: In the global distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) forests play a key role due to the forest canopy effect. In this study, mountain beech forests were selected to identify the level and distribution of selected POPs. Methods: Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC–ECD). Analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was performed by gas chromatography with a mass spectrometry detector (GC–MS). The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed by liquid chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC–DAD). Results: The total ∑20OCP concentrations in the soil from mountain beech forests at a depth of 0 – 40 cm ranged from 24.46 μg kg −1 to 331.11 μg kg −1, and at a depth of 40 – 80 cm from 15.80 μg kg−1 to 247.12 μg kg −1. The mass concentration for ∑ 6PCB ranges from 9.21 to 95.28 μg kg−1 in the surface soil layer and from 8.07 to 66.56 μg kg −1 in the soil sub.layer. The total concentration of ∑7PBDE congeners measured in soil samples from mountain beech forests across Europe was from 1.38 to 29.68 μg kg−1 in the surface soil layer and from 1.01 to 53.31 μg kg−1 in the soil sublayer. The total concentration of ∑ 16PAH varied from 271.52 to 1154.52 μg kg−1 in the surface soil layer and from 318.95 to 1052.54 μg kg −1 in the soil sublayer. Conclusion: The results of this study can serve as an important basis for international, national, and regional measures of environmental protection of beech forests from POPs pollution