ASSESSMENT OF BASE-LINE LEVELS OF PCDD F IN SOILS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODOF A NEW HAZARDOUS-WASTE INCINERATOR IN CATALONIA, SPAIN/

In order to determine the baseline contamination by polychlorinated di benzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) in an area from Catalonia (Spain), which will be under the influence of a ne w hazardous waste incinerator, PCDD/F concentrations were measured in 40 soil samples collected in the vicinity of the facility now under co nstruction. Thirty samples represented rural soils and 10 samples urba n soils. PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 0.08-8.4 ng I-TEQ/kg for rural soils and 0.63-24.2 ng I-TEQ/kg for urban soils. The mean value for the 40 samples was 1.64 ng I-TEQ/kg (dry matter). The current PCD D/F levels and profiles are comparable to those found in soils from ot her countries. The PCDD/F concentrations found in this study show that at present the contamination by PCDD/F in soils of the examined area is rather low. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.