Regional aspects and statistical characterisation of the load with semivolatile organic compounds at remote Austrian forest sites

Spruce needles and humus layer of 25 remote forest sites spread all over Au stria were investigated for their concentrations of PCDD/F, PCB, HCH, HCB, PCP, DDX and PAH. Influences of the sites' location on the detected concent rations have been identified: The north of Austria was characterised by a c omparably higher overall pollutant load. In addition, altitudinal aspects w ere addressed. Between several compounds significant positive correlations have been identified, which were more pronounced for compounds with a stron ger causal relationship. Pattern analyses allowed to identify - even for th e remote sites - differences between the relative PCDD/F, HCH, DDX and PAH patterns of the sites. Partly, these different patterns were related to sig nificantly higher or lower corresponding absolute concentrations of the sit es. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.