title: Characterization of dioxin-like contamination in soil and sediments from the "hot spot" area of petrochemical plant in Pancevo (Serbia).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Combinatorial bio/chemical approach was applied to investigate dioxin-like contamination of soil and sediment at the petrochemical and organochlorine plant in Pancevo, Serbia, after the destruction of manufacturing facilities that occurred in the spring of 1999 and subsequent remediation actions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Soil samples were analyzed for indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by gas chromatography/electron capture detection (GC/ECD). Prioritized soil sample and sediment samples from the waste water channel were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) by high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Microethoxyresorufin o-deethylase (Micro-EROD) and H4IIE-luciferase bioassays were used for monitoring of dioxin-like compounds (DLC) and for better characterization of dioxin-like activity of soil samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bioanalytical results indicated high dioxin-like activity in one localized soil sample, while the chemical analysis confirmed the presence of large quantities of DLC: 3.0 × 10(5) ng/g d.w. of seven-key PCBs, 8.2 ng/g d.w. of PCDD/Fs, and 3.0 × 10(5) ng/g d.w. of planar and mono-ortho PCBs. In the sediment, contaminant concentrations were in the range 2-8 ng/g d.w. of PCDD/Fs and 9-20 ng/g d.w. of PCBs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the utility of combined application of bioassays and instrumental analysis, especially for developing and transition country which do not have capacity of the expensive instrumental analysis. The results indicate the high contamination of soil in the area of petrochemical plant, and PCDD/Fs contamination of the sediment from the waste water channel originating from the ethylene dichloride production.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Ecotoxicology (LECOTOX), University of Novi Sad Faculty of Science, Trg D. Obradovica 2, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. sonja.kaisarevic@dbe.uns.ac.rs
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaisarevic
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hilscherova
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Kristina L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Sundqvist
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tysklind
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Voncina
authors.forename: Stanka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bobic
authors.forename: Nebojsa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andric
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pogrmic-Majkic
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vojinovic-Miloradov
authors.forename: John Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Giesy
authors.forename: Radmila
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kovacevic
mesh_terms: D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D002617:Chemical Industry; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000032:analysis; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D055771:Serbia; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004147:Dioxins; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1