Research article

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in soils in the Region of Valasske Mezirici, the Czech Republic

Daniela Plachá¹ , Helena Raclavská² , Dalibor Matýsek² and Mark H Rümmeli³

¹  Centre of Nanotechnology, VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17.listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava - Poruba, Czech Republic

²  Institute of Geological Engineering, VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, the Faculty of Mining and Geology, 17.listopadu 15, 708 33 Ostrava - Poruba, Czech Republic

³  Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, IFW Dresden, P.O. Box 27016, Helmholzstrase 20, 01069 Dresden, Germany

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Geochemical Transactions 2009, 10:12doi:10.1186/1467-4866-10-12

Published:	14 December 2009

Abstract

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination of urban, agricultural and forest soil samples was investigated from samples obtained in the surroundings of Valasske Mezirici. Valasske Mezirici is a town located in the north-east mountainous part of the Czech Republic, where a coal tar refinery is situated. 16 PAHs listed in the US EPA were investigated. Organic oxidizable carbon was also observed in the forest soils. The PAH concentrations ranged from 0.86-10.84 (with one anomalous value of 35.14) and 7.66-79.39 mg/kg dm in the urban/agricultural and forest soils, respectively. While the PAH levels in the urban/agricultural soils are within the range typically found in industrialized areas, the forest soils showed elevated PAH concentrations compared to other forest soils in Western and Northern Europe. The PAH concentrations and their molecular distribution ratios were studied as functions of the sample location and the meteorological history. The soils from localities at higher altitudes above sea level have the highest PAH concentrations, and the PAH concentrations decrease with increasing distance from the town.