PAH content, toxicity and genotoxicity of coastal marine sediments from the Rovinj area, Northern Adriatic, Croatia

Surface marine sediments collected from 8 sampling sites within the Rovinj coastal area, Northern Adriatic, Croatia, were used for determining priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and toxic/genotoxic potential of sediment organic extracts. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 32 microg/kg (protected area) to 13.2 mg/kg dry weight (harbor) and showed clear differences between pristine, urban industrial and harbor areas. PAHs distribution revealed their pyrogenic origin with some biogenic influence in harbor. At all sampling sites sediment extracts showed toxic potential that was consistent with the sediment type. No correlation between toxicity measured by Microtox assay and concentrations of individual or total PAHs was found. Noncytotoxic dose of sediment extracts showed no genotoxic potential in bacterial umu-test. DNA damage is positively related to total PAHs at 4 sampling sites (S-1, S-2, S-3, S-6), but the highest DNA damage was not observed at the site with the highest total sediment PAH content (S-5).     

Characterization and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminations in surface sediment and water from Gao-ping River, Taiwan

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and sediment samples collected from 12 locations in Gao-ping River, Taiwan were analyzed. Molecular ratios and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to characterize the possible pollution sources. Concentrations of total 16 PAHs (SigmaPAHs) in water samples ranged from below method detection limits (相似文献   

Sources of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban stormwater runoff

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals were measured in road debris collecting in urban areas and in the suspended sediment (SS) component of runoff from two stormwater catchments in Dunedin, New Zealand. Levels in the road debris ranged from 119-527 microg/g for lead, 50-464 microg/g for copper, 241-1 325 microg/g for zinc and 1.20-11.6 microg/g for sigma16PAH. The SS from the largely rural catchment (20% urban) had similar concentrations to the road debris, indicating that this urban material was the main source of the contaminants measured in the stormwater. Similar PAH fingerprint profiles and isomer ratios indicative of dominant pyrogenic (combustion) sources were also found in these two groups of materials. The SS from the 100% urban catchment contained 2- to 6-fold higher concentrations of metals and 10-fold greater levels of sigma16PAH. The higher levels of lead and copper were probably a result of industrial land uses in this catchment, while the additional zinc was linked to an abundance of zinc-galvanised roofing iron in the catchment's residential suburbs. The PAH profiles and isomer ratios were different for this urban catchment and suggested that a disused gasworks was contributing PAHs to the stormwater runoff.     

PAH fluxes in the Laja Lake of south central Chile Andes over the last 50 years: evidence from a dated sediment core

This paper reports the occurrence of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) deposition inferred from a sediment core of an Andean lake in south central Chile. Sediments were carefully collected from one of the deepest section of the lake and sliced every 1 cm. The samples were analyzed for PAHs, (137)Cs, (210)Pb, organic carbon and grain-size. The stratigraphic chronology and the sedimentation rates were estimated using the sedimentary signature left by the (137)Cs and (210)Pb fallout as temporal markers. PAHs were quantified by HPLC-fluorescence detection (HPLC-Fluorescence). 15 priority EPA PAHs were analyzed in this study. Based on these results, PAH deposition over the last 50 years was estimated (a period characterized by an important intervention in the area). PAH concentration ranged from 226 to 620 ng g(-1) d.w. The highest concentrations of PAHs were found in the core's bottom. The PAH profile is dominated by the presence of perylene indicating a natural source of PAH. In addition, two clear PAH deposition periods could be determined: the most recent with two-four rings PAHs, the older one with five-seven rings predomination. Determined fluxes where 71 to 972 microg m(-2) year(-1), dominated by perylene deposition. PAH levels and fluxes are lower compared to the levels found in sediments from remote lakes in Europe and North America. It is concluded that the main source of PAHs into the Laja Lake sediments are of natural origin.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fish from remote and high mountain lakes in Europe and Greenland

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analysed in liver of fifty-seven individual trout distributed among seven high mountain lakes in Europe and one remote lake in Greenland. In all cases, very similar distributions were observed in which phenanthrene largely predominated and fluoranthene and pyrene were the second major compounds. These distributions were similar to those observed in the dissolved fraction of the waters studied in three of these lakes. The range of concentrations of PAH in fish liver show only a five-fold variation, which is considerably smaller than the range more than two orders of magnitude of sedimentary PAH concentrations of these lakes. No correlation between PAH content in sediments and fish liver has been found both at the level of total and individual compounds. However, lake site is the main statistically significant factor of variability between PAH concentrations in fish liver. Changes in fish species explain significant differences in liver content of some PAHs. Within lake, condition factor and liver concentration are inversely correlated. Female fish display lower average concentrations than male in all lakes but the differences are not statistically significant. No correspondence between fish age and PAH content has been observed.     

Spatial and vertical distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments

The distribution and historical changes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination in mangrove sediments in Hong Kong SAR were investigated. Surface sediments (2-3 cm) collected from four mangrove swamps exhibited significant spatial variations in concentrations of total PAH (with SigmaPAHs ranging from 56 to 3758 ng g(-1) dry wt), as well as the composition of 16 USEPA priority PAH compounds. Within a small swamp with an area of 0.68 ha, the total PAH concentrations also differed from sampling site to site, indicating that the PAH contamination is localized and confined to a very small area within the same swamp. Discharges from municipal and industrial wastewater, urban runoff, oil leakage from boats and ships, and accidental oil spill are possible sources of the PAH contamination. The sediment depth profiles reveal that the surface sediment layer (0-5 cm) had lower total PAH concentrations than that in the bottom layer (15-20 cm), and PAH composition also changed with the sediment layers. Based on the estimated annual sediment deposition rate in Hong Kong SAR of around 0.4-0.5 cm, the present findings suggest that the PAH contamination was most serious between 1958 and 1979 but started to decline thereafter. Such decline was probably due to changes in petroleum usage in urban areas and a better control of wastewater discharges from 1980 onwards in this region.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dustfall in Tianjin, China

Atmospheric dustfall samples from 23 locations in Tianjin, China, were collected and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as priority pollutants from March 2002 to March 2003. SigmaPAH16 (sum of 16 PAH compounds) concentrations in the dustfall collected during heating season ranged from 2.5 to 85.5 mug/g, while that during the non-heating season varied from 1.0 to 48.2 microg/g dry weight. The dominant components in the heating season included naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and chrysene, while naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and fluoranthene were dominant during the non-heating season. Compared with the non-heating season, the heating season was characterized by a higher fraction of high-molecular-weight PAHs with four to six rings with exception of the samples from the east industrial area. The east industrial area had more significant correlations between individual PAH compounds, and more discrete triangular components of three-, four-, five- and six-ring PAHs. No significant correlations were observed between the PAHs concentrations and total organic carbon (TOC) in the dustfall samples. The deposition fluxes of sigmaPAH15 (sum of 15 PAHs except naphthalene), sigmaPAH6 (sum of 6 carcinogenic PAHs recommended by IARC) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) from atmospheric deposition to the whole area were estimated as 1911, 196, and 53 microg/m2/year, respectively. The deposition rates for PAH compounds in the east industrial area were higher than those in the urban and rural areas. Furthermore, the deposition contribution of PAHs during domestic heating season in winter was not significant relative to the annual inputs.     

Source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of the Huangpu River, Shanghai, China

We applied cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) with multivariate linear regression (MLR) to apportion sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, based on the measured PAH concentrations of 32 samples collected at eight sites in four seasons in 2006. The results indicate that petrogenic and pyrogenic sources are the important sources of PAHs. Further analysis shows that the contributions of coal combustion, traffic-related pollution and spills of oil products (petrogenic) are 40%, 36% and 24% using PCA/MLR, respectively. Pyrogenic sources (coal combustion and traffic related pollution) contribute 76% of anthropogenic PAHs to sediments, which indicates that energy consumption is a predominant factor of PAH pollution in Shanghai. Rainfall, the monsoon and temperature play important roles in the distinct seasonal variation of PAH pollution, such that the contamination level of PAHs in spring is significantly higher than in the other seasons.

Brief

We apportion PAHs in surface sediments of the Huangpu River and show that coal combustion, traffic-related pollution, and petroleum spillage are the major sources.     

HPLC determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the littoral urban sewage area of cortiou (Marseille,France)

A selective method for determining polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments using solid‐phase extraction and RP‐HPLC with fluorescence and UV detection is described. The complete analytical method is used to surface sediments from the creek of Cortiou (France). Sewage from the urban area of Marseille is delivered to the creek. PAH levels in sediments (µg/g) range between 2.251 µg/g (for the benzo(a)anthracene) and 相似文献   

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in bottom sediments of the Kara Sea shelf,Gulf of Ob and Yenisei Bay

PAH concentration and distribution has been examined in surface sediments samples from the Kara Sea, Russia. The study includes 13 samples from the South-eastern Kara Sea shelf, one sample from the south-western part of the sea, 4 samples from the Baydaratskaya Bay, 5 samples from the Gulf of Ob and 4 samples from the Yenisei Bay, collected in August-September 1993-1994. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to identify common patterns and possible sources of PAHs. The total PAH concentration (sum of two- to six-ring aromatic hydrocarbons) in the Kara Sea sediments was generally lower than in the Barents Sea sediments and comparable to the levels in the Pechora and White seas. Two- and three-ring aromatic hydrocarbons predominated in Kara Sea sediments, which indicate a relatively stronger petrogenic origin than that in the adjacent seas. The highest total PAH concentrations within the Kara Sea were found in sediments from the Yenisei Bay and in the South-western part of the Kara Sea in the Eastern Novaya Zemlya Trough. The PAHs of the Yenisei Bay sediments were dominated by perylene and PAHs of petrogenic origin, but had also a strong indication of PAHs of pyrogenic origin. The dominating PAH group in the South-western part of the Kara Sea were four- to six-ring aromatic hydrocarbons, indicating pyrogenic origin. Perylene levels were high in all the Kara Sea samples, and highest levels were found in areas of strong terrigenous influence. The most probable source is decaying peat products being transported to the Kara Sea by both large and small rivers.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in agricultural soil and vegetables from Tianjin

Several types of vegetables were collected from two contaminated sites in Tianjin, China. The bulk soil and the rhizosphere soil samples were also collected from the same plots. Sixteen PAHs in the samples were measured. The total concentrations of PAH16 in the bulk soil from the two sites were 1.08 and 6.25 microg/g, respectively, with similar pattern. The concentrations of PAH16 and individual compounds in the rhizosphere were significantly higher than those in the bulk soil with mean values of 2.25 and 7.82 microg/g for the two sites, respectively. The contents of both total and dissolved organic matter in the rhizosphere were also higher than those in the bulk soil. Almost all PAH compounds studied were detected in both roots and aerial parts of the vegetables studied. Abundance of higher molecular weight PAHs in vegetable, however, was lower than that in soil. Concentrations of PAH16 in vegetable were higher than those reported in the literature for other areas. It appears that agricultural soils and vegetables in Tianjin, especially those from the site located immediately next to an urban district and irrigated with wastewater for several decades, are severely contaminated by PAHs. Among the eight types of vegetable studied, the highest concentration of PAHs was found in cauliflower. By average, the concentration of PAH16 in the aerial part of vegetables was 6.5 times higher as that in vegetable root, suggesting that foliar uptake is the primary transfer pathway of PAHs from environment to vegetables.     

Atmospheric concentrations and air-soil gas exchange of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in remote, rural village and urban areas of Beijing-Tianjin region, North China

Forty passive air samplers were deployed to study the occurrence of gas and particulate phase PAHs in remote, rural village and urban areas of Beijing-Tianjin region, North China for four seasons (spring, summer, fall and winter) from 2007 to 2008. The influence of emissions on the spatial distribution pattern of air PAH concentrations was addressed. In addition, the air-soil gas exchange of PAHs was studied using fugacity calculations. The median gaseous and particulate phase PAH concentrations were 222 ng/m³ and 114 ng/m³, respectively, with a median total PAH concentration of 349 ng/m³. Higher PAH concentrations were measured in winter than in other seasons. Air PAH concentrations measured at the rural villages and urban sites in the northern mountain region were significantly lower than those measured at sites in the southern plain during all seasons. However, there was no significant difference in PAH concentrations between the rural villages and urban sites in the northern and southern areas. This urban-rural PAH distribution pattern was related to the location of PAH emission sources and the population distribution. The location of PAH emission sources explained 56%-77% of the spatial variation in ambient air PAH concentrations. The annual median air-soil gas exchange flux of PAHs was 42.2 ng/m²/day from soil to air. Among the 15 PAHs measured, acenaphthylene (ACY) and acenaphthene (ACE) contributed to more than half of the total exchange flux. Furthermore, the air-soil gas exchange fluxes of PAHs at the urban sites were higher than those at the remote and rural sites. In summer, more gaseous PAHs volatilized from soil to air because of higher temperatures and increased rainfall. However, in winter, more gaseous PAHs deposited from air to soil due to higher PAH emissions and lower temperatures. The soil TOC concentration had no significant influence on the air-soil gas exchange of PAHs.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil and surface marine sediment near Jubany Station (Antarctica). Role of permafrost as a low-permeability barrier

Although Antarctica is still considered as one of the most pristine areas of the world, the growing tourist and fisheries activities as well as scientific operations and their related logistic support are responsible for an increasing level of pollutants in this fragile environment. Soils and coastal sediments are significantly affected near scientific stations particularly by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this work sediment and soil were sampled in two consecutive summer Antarctic expeditions at Potter Cove and peninsula, in the vicinity of Jubany Station (South Shetland Islands). Two- and 3-ring PAHs (methylnaphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene and anthracene) were the main compounds found in most sites, although total PAH concentrations showed relatively low levels compared with other human-impacted areas in Antarctica. Pattern distribution of PAHs observed in samples suggested that low-temperature combustion processes such as diesel motor combustion and open-field garbage burning are the main sources of these compounds. An increase in PAH concentrations was observed from surface to depth into the active soil layer except for a unique sampling site where a fuel spill had been recently reported and where an inverted PAH concentration gradient was observed. The highest level was detected in the upper layer of permafrost followed by a sharp decrease in depth, showing this layer is acting as a barrier for downward PAH migration. When PAH levels in soil from both sampling programs were compared a significant decrease (p<0.01) was observed in summer 2005 (range at 75-cm depth: 12+/-1-153+/-22 ng/g) compared to summer 2004 (range at 75-cm depth: 162+/-15-1182+/-113 ng/g) whereas concentrations in surface sediment collected nearby the station PAHs increased drastically in 2005 (range: 36+/-3-1908+/-114 ng/g) compared to 2004 (range: 28+/-3-312+/-24 ng/g). Precipitation regime and water run off suggest that an important wash out of soil-PAHs occurred during the interval time between samplings. Results showed that the present PAH contamination level of Jubany Station is relatively low compared to other reported cases in Antarctica but also suggests that an increase in rain and in thawing processes caused by the global warming could result in an important soil-associated PAH mobilization with unpredictable consequences for the biota of Potter Cove.     

Runoff of particle bound pollutants from urban impervious surfaces studied by analysis of sediments from stormwater traps

Runoff sediments from 68 small stormwater traps around the harbor of urban Bergen, Norway, were sampled and the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, and total organic carbon (TOC) were determined in addition to grain size. Our study provides empirical data from a large area in the interface between the urban and marine environment, studying the active transport of pollutants from land-based sources. The results of the analyses clearly demonstrate the importance of the urban environment representing a variety of contamination sources, and that stormwater runoff is an important dispersion mechanism of toxic pollutants. The concentrations of different pollutants in urban runoff sediments show that there are several active pollution sources supplying the sewage systems with PCBs, PAHs and heavy metals such as lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd). The concentration of PCB7 in the urban runoff sediments ranged between < 0.0004 and 0.704 mg/kg. For PAH16, the concentration range was < 0.2-80 mg/kg, whereas the concentration ranges of Pb, Zn and Cd were 9-675, 51.3-4670 and 0.02-11.1 mg/kg respectively. Grain size distribution in 21 selected samples varied from a median particle diameter of 13 to 646 microm. However, several samples had very fine-grained particles even up to the 90 percentile of the samples, making them available for stormwater dispersion in suspended form. The sampling approach proposed in this paper will provide environmental authorities with a useful tool to examine ongoing urban contamination of harbors and similar recipients.     

PAHs in sediments of the Black River and the Ashtabula River, Ohio: source apportionment by factor analysis

Sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Black River and Ashtabula River sediments were apportioned using a factor analysis (FA) model with nonnegative constraints. Source profiles, contributions (microg/g) and percent contributions are determined with no prior knowledge of sources. The FA model includes scaling and backscaling of data with average PAH concentrations, without sample normalization. The present work is a follow-up to studies that used a chemical mass balance model to apportion sources to the same data sets. Literature source profiles, modified based on gas/particle partitioning of individual PAHs, from nine PAH sources were considered for comparison. FA results for a three-source solution indicate traffic (58%), coke oven (26%), and wood burning/coal tar (16%) are the primary PAH sources to Black River sediments. The primary PAH sources to the Ashtabula River sediments are traffic (51%), coke oven (44%), and wood burning (5%). This work supports the previous studies of Black River and Ashtabula River PAHs by CMB model. In addition, FA provides a more realistic fit to Ashtabula River model data by eliminating 100% contributions from one source.     

Concentrations, sources, and spatial distribution of individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in agricultural soils in the Eastern part of the EU: Poland as a case study

Soils from agricultural areas receive unsatisfactory attention as regards the contamination with organic pollutants. To answer those needs the contents of the sixteen individual PAH compounds were determined (GC/MS technique) in agricultural soils in Poland. The samples (n = 216) were collected from the upper layer of arable land in the year 2005. Half of the samples represented typical rural areas, while the rest derived from the territories potentially subjected to the urban/industrial pressure of various intensity. The mean (geometric) content of individual compounds varied from 1 μg kg^− 1 for acenaphtylene to 55 μg kg^− 1 for fluoranthene with the highest contributions (11.6%-12.9%) of phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene. Higher molecular weight PAHs (4 rings) were strongly linked mutually and with the ∑16PAHs. They contributed substantially (73%) to the overall content of PAHs, which implies domination of anthropogenic sources. The calculated molecular indexes suggest that most of those PAHs derive from the combustion of coal, the main energy source in Poland. Simultaneously, the concentrations of lower molecular weight compounds seem to reflect the background, “natural” PAH compounds, which represent mainly atmospherically distributed emission. The division of the samples into groups describing geographical regions and landscape type enabled evaluation of the spatial trends in contamination of soils with PAH compounds. The most pronounced effect of spatial parameters corresponded to PAHs > 4 rings, while lower molecular weight compounds showed more homogeneous concentration through the country.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in remote mountain lake waters

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), including alkylated and sulfur derivatives, were identified and measured in the waters from three European remote mountain lakes during both ice-free and ice covered periods. The measured concentrations were in the same order in all three lakes (700-1100 pg/l). The PAH patterns in both dissolved and particulate water phases were dominated by the low molecular weight compounds (i.e. phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene) in Lakes Redó (Pyrenees) and Gossenk?lle (Alps). In contrast, the high molecular weight (HMW) compounds (i.e. chrysene+triphenylene, benzofluoranthenes, benzo[e]pyrene) were very significant in lake Ovre Ne?dalsvatn (Caledonian). These HMW PAH correspond to mixtures originating from high temperature combustion processes which have been photodegraded during long range atmospheric transport and parallel the PAH mixtures encountered in the underlying lake sediments. In contrast, dissolved PAH exhibit temperature dependence with higher concentrations found at water temperatures below 6-7 degrees C reflecting higher condensation from the atmospheric gas phase reservoir.     

Chemical and ecotoxicological assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon--contaminated sediments of the Niger Delta, Southern Nigeria

The extent of environmental contamination and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds to sediments of the Niger Delta, Nigeria were assessed using combined chemical analysis and toxicity bioassay techniques. Concentrations of two- to six-ring PAHs of molecular mass 128-278 and toxicity to Vibrio fischeri and Lemna minor are considered in this investigation. Levels of the sum of the 16 USEPA priority pollutant PAHs varied from 20.7 to 72.1 ng/g dry weight. Sediment PAH levels were highest in samples collected from Delta Steel located at the outskirts of Warri, and Quality control centre, Ughelli West; with total PAH concentrations of 72.1 and 67.5 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The overall levels of PAHs in this study are low compared to other regions and reveal moderate PAHs pollution in the sediments of the Niger Delta. Two- and three-ring aromatic hydrocarbons predominated in almost all the sediments, which indicate a petrogenic origin. The sediment total PAH (PAHtot) concentration, normalized to organic carbon content (OC), ranged from 120.2 to 1.99 ng PAHtot/mg OC; and showed distinctively that the sedimentary organic matter of the sample from Delta Steel is highly contaminated with PAHs, and had a value of 120.2 ng PAHtot/mg OC. The toxicity bioassays indicated that the sample collected from Warri Refinery Area (SDWRR) was the most toxic to V. fischeri, with an EC50 value of 0.45 mg sediment equiv./mL test medium; and samples from Ogunu (SDOGN) and Warri Refinery area (SDWRR) showed high toxicity to L. minor, with percent inhibitions of 42.6% and 33.67%, respectively, after 7 days of exposure. The total PAH concentrations showed no correlation with toxicity bioassays, and thereby implied that chemical analysis of PAHs cannot be an indicator of sediment toxicity.     

Distribution of some trace metals in Lochnagar, a Scottish mountain lake ecosystem and its catchment

Anthropogenic trace metals enter the entire ecosystem of Lochnagar solely through atmospheric deposition. Trace metals, including Hg, have been monitored in atmospheric deposition and lake water, and measured in catchment vegetation, aquatic plants and zooplankton, revealing contamination levels in the ecosystem. Furthermore, 17 sediment cores were taken from different areas of the lake. Hg, Pb, Cd, Zn and Cu were analysed in all the cores, which show that the sediments have been heavily contaminated by these trace metals since the 1860s. The distribution of trace metals in the lake sediments was found to be heterogeneous, with concentrations in the surface sediments varying significantly: 110-250 ng/g, 100-360 microg/g, 39-180 microg/g, 0.3-1.9 microg/g and 8-25 microg/g for Hg, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu, respectively. Trends in the concentration profiles for different trace metals in the same core are different, as are the trends of the profiles for the same metal in different cores. Hence, a single sediment core cannot represent the pollution history of the whole lake. As the soils and sediments contain a high proportion of plant debris and the debris has a high affinity for Hg, resulting in Hg enrichment. Hg was measured in plant debris (> 63 microm) separated from catchment soils and lake sediments. Plant debris may play an important role in storing and transferring Hg in this ecosystem.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) content of soil and olives collected in areas contaminated with creosote released from old railway ties

Simple sample preparation procedures involving sonication and solid phase extraction (SPE), followed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrofluorometric detection, were used to analyse polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil and olives collected in areas contaminated with creosote-treated railway ties. Very high PAH contents (with amounts ranging from 114.7 to 2157.2 and from 167.3 to 3121.8 microg kg(-1) dry weight for total light PAHs and total heavy PAHs, respectively) were found in soil sampled up to 1 m from the source of contamination. The PAH load decreased rapidly with the distance from the railway ties. High amounts of light PAHs, up to 6359.9 microg kg(-1), were also found in oil extracted from olives collected in a rural area where old railway ties were stored. No appreciable transfer of heavy PAHs and benzo[a]pyrene was observed in oil samples.