title: Environmental distribution of PAHs in pine needles, soils, and sediments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The content of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was determined in 60 samples from three environmental matrices (soils, sediments, and pine needles) in an effort to assess their distribution on a river basin scale.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sampling campaign was carried out in 2006, selecting urban, industrial, and agricultural sampling sites along the northeast of Spain. Techniques used included pressurized liquid extraction and solid-liquid ultrasonic extraction followed by gas chromatography-electron impact ionization mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean total PAHs concentrations were 290 < 613 < 1,628 ng/g (dry weight) in pine needles, soil, and sediments, respectively. There is a good correspondence between the total concentration of soils and pine needles, as opposed to the levels between sediments and pine needles. The high concentrations found in some Pinus halepensis samples may reflect a superior uptake potential of this species in comparison to the others studied. The three matrices present a very different PAH distribution pattern, with pine needles showing a predominance of the lighter (2-, 3-, and 4-ring) PAHs, whereas 5- and 6-ring PAHs are the most abundant in soils. Sediments display a more heterogeneous pattern, with contributions of all the PAHs but different distribution depending on the site, suggesting a wider range of input sources. Established PAH molecular ratios and principal component analysis were used to identify the origins and profiles of PAHs. While sediments showed a wide range attributed to historical inputs, soils and pine needles confirmed the compartmentalization of the PAHs, with lighter airborne PAHs accumulated in pine needles and heavier ones in soils.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It can be suggested that the monitoring of several matrices is a strong tool to elucidate the contamination sources and accumulation patterns of PAHs. However, given the influence of the matrix type on this assessment, the information should be considered complementary, yet allowing a more comprehensive depiction of the area in question.
authors: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18-26 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Alícia
authors: A
authors: Navarro-Ortega
authors: Nuno
authors: N
authors: Ratola
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Hildebrandt
authors: Arminda
authors: A
authors: Alves
authors: Sílvia
authors: S
authors: Lacorte
authors: Damià
authors: D
authors: Barceló
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008970:Molecular Weight; D028223:Pinus / Q000737:chemistry*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D045483:Rivers; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain; D013045:Species Specificity; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000379:methods; D014507:Urbanization
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants