title: Long-term environmental monitoring of persistent organic pollutants and metals in a chemical/petrochemical area: human health risks.
abstract: Organic pollutants such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as some metals are periodically monitored in soil and vegetation samples collected in Tarragona County (Spain). We here report the temporal trends of the concentrations of the above pollutants between the initial survey (2002) and that recently (2009) performed. The area under evaluation was divided into 4 sections (chemical, petrochemical, urban/residential and unpolluted). In general terms, urban soils presented the highest concentrations of PCDD/Fs, PCNs and PAHs, confirming that traffic is a very important emission source of these pollutants. In addition, substantially higher levels of PAHs and some metals were found in vegetation samples from the petrochemical complex. The assessment of health risks of these contaminants indicated that the current concentrations of micropollutants did not mean additional non-carcinogenic or cancer risks for the population living in the zone.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Martí
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nadal
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schuhmacher
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Domingo
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D011634:Public Health; D013030:Spain; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons