LEVELS OF PCBS AND PAHS IN BAHRAIN SOIL

The concentration of PCBs in the soil of Bahrain has been determined u sing GC-ECD. PCBs were detected in only few of the samples analysed. I n the contaminated soils, the concentrations of PCBs were in the range of 0.2 - 72.7 mug/g. These values were compared with published data f rom industrial countries. Soil samples collected from different parts of the country were also analysed for PAHs using GC-MS. The concentrat ions of the various PAHs fall within the range 0.01-42.58 mug/g. The s amples collected from an aluminum smelter area showed the highest leve l of PAHs.