RESIDUE LEVELS OF POLYNUCLEAR AROMATIC-COMPOUNDS IN URBAN SURFACE SOIL FROM JAPAN

Samples of surface soil from urban areas of Japan were analysed for po lynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Concentrations of benzoa!pyre ne were in the range 12-225 mug/kg. Profiles of polynuclear aromatic m aterials were obtained by glass capillary gas chromatography. The over all distribution of PAHs is similar to the distribution of PAHs in air particulate matter and combustion sources. Benzanthrone is found at c oncentrations ranging from 10 to 160 mug/kg. The presence of benzanthr one and other polynuclear aromatic ketones also indicates that polynuc lear aromatic materials in surface soil have originated from combustio n sources. A comparison with air particulate matter showed that the co ncentrations of PAHs in air particulate matter are about 100-fold high er than in surface soil. Perylene seems to be more resistant to degrad ation in the soil environment than in air particulate matter. Subsurfa ce layers of soil contained PAHs at concentrations below 2 mug/kg, whi ch was the detection limit.