Contamination of soils by metals and organic micropollutants: case study of the Parisian conurbation.
Soils are playing a central role in the transfer and accumulation of anthropogenic pollutants in urbanized regions. Hence, this study aimed at examining the contamination levels of selected soils collected within and around the Paris conurbation (France). This also evaluated factors controlling contamination. Twenty-three trace and major elements as well as 82 organic micropollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates (PAEs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), alkylphenols (APs), and perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) were analyzed. Results reinforced the concern raised by the occurrence and levels of metals such as Zn, Pb, Cu, and Hg, identified as metallic markers of anthropogenic activities, but also pointed out the ubiquitous contamination of soils by organic micropollutants in the 0.2-55,000-μg/kg dw range. For well-documented compounds like PAHs, PCBs, and to a lesser extent PBDEs, contents were in the range of background levels worldwide. The pollutant stock in tested soil was compared to the annual atmospheric input. For PAHs; Pb; and to a lesser extent Zn, Cu, Cd, Hg, Sb, PAEs, and APs, a significant stock was observed, far more important than the recent annual atmospheric fluxes. This resulted from both (i) the persistence of a fraction of pollutants in surface soils and (ii) the cumulative atmospheric inputs over several decades. Regarding PBDEs and PFASs, stronger atmospheric input contributions were observed, thereby highlighting their recent dispersal into the environment.
LEESU, Université Paris-Est, UMR-MA102, 61 av du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France. gasperi@u-pec.fr.
Johnny
J
Gaspéri
Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Sophie
S
Ayrault
UMR METIS 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
Elodie
E
Moreau-Guigon
UMR METIS 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
Fabrice
F
Alliot
UMR 5805 EPOC, Equipe LPTC, Université de Bordeaux, 351 crs de la Libération, 33405, Talence, France.
Pierre
P
Labadie
UMR 5805 EPOC, Equipe LPTC, Université de Bordeaux, 351 crs de la Libération, 33405, Talence, France.
Hélène
H
Budzinski
UMR METIS 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
Martine
M
Blanchard
LEESU, Université Paris-Est, UMR-MA102, 61 av du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France.
Bogdan
B
Muresan
LEESU, Université Paris-Est, UMR-MA102, 61 av du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France.
Emilie
E
Caupos
LEESU, Université Paris-Est, UMR-MA102, 61 av du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France.
Mathieu
M
Cladière
LEESU, Université Paris-Est, UMR-MA102, 61 av du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France.
David
D
Gateuille
LEESU, Université Paris-Est, UMR-MA102, 61 av du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France.
Bruno
B
Tassin
Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement, LSCE/IPSL, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Louise
L
Bordier
UMR METIS 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
Marie-Jeanne
MJ
Teil
UMR METIS 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
Catherine
C
Bourges
UMR METIS 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
Annie
A
Desportes
UMR METIS 7619, PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités, 4 place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
Marc
M
Chevreuil
LEESU, Université Paris-Est, UMR-MA102, 61 av du Général de Gaulle, 94010, Créteil, France.
Régis
R
Moilleron
D001272:Atmosphere; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005602:France; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D010297:Paris; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012424:Rural Population; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D008670:Metals; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Black carbon; Metals; Organic micropollutants; PAHs; PCBs; Perfluoroalkylated substances; Soils