BASE-LINE LEVELS OF PCDD FS IN VEGETATION SAMPLES COLLECTED IN THE VICINITY OF A NEW HAZARDOUS-WASTE INCINERATOR IN CATALONIA, SPAIN/

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzo furans (PCDF) were analysed by GC/MS in 40 vegetation samples collecte d in the neighbourhood of a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) now unde r construction (Catalonia, Spain). Samples were collected at various s ites within a radius of 7 km from the facility. Ten samples belonged t o an urban area and 30 samples to a rural area. PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 0.24-1.22 ng I-TEQ/kg (dry matter), with a median and m ean values of 0.53 and 0.61 ng I-TEQ/kg (dry matter), respectively. Pr incipal Component Analysis (PCA) provided a two-dimensional model whic h would explain 67.0% of the variance in the data. The present results will be useful to determine the environmental impact of the HWI in fu ture assessments of the plant. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.