Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Agroecosystems - Example of Poland

Evaluation of the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in agricultural soils in Poland was performed on the basis of the results of three separate investigation programmes carried out in the years 1992-1997. Two of the programmes were restricted to small regions of different exposition to anthropogenic activity, the third one covered country-wide scale. The results confirm high point contamination in areas situated in the proximity of industrial/municipal/transport pollution sources. Arable soils from rural regions were characterised by very low contamination with PAHs with median content of σ 13PAH 180 μg/kg. The usefulness of the existing European criteria for the evaluation of soil contamination with PAHs was discussed.