Source identification of polychlorinated naphthalenes, dioxins and related compounds in pine needles from Tokyo Bay, Japan and Poland

Pine needles are considered to be a very suitable biomatrix for monitoring long-term ambient air concentrations of such atmospheric pollutants as semivolatile and persistent lipophilic compounds. Pine needles were analyzed for polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and dioxin-like compounds to provide initial evidence on their occurrence in ambient air and any potential connection to possible sources of pollution around Tokyo Bay, Japan and at industrial sites in Poland. The concentrations of PCNs in pine needles around Tokyo Bay and at sites in Poland varied between 250 to 2100 pg/g, wet weight and 520 to 920 pg/g, respectively. Tri- and tetra-CNs were dominating constituents (54 to 83%) of PCNs quantified in pine needles from Tokyo Bay and Poland. Octa-CN was a characteristic congener in analysed Polish samples, because the level of this congener from Poland was obviously higher than that from Tokyo Bay. Wet weight normalized concentrations of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDDs/Fs and planar PCBs in pine needles from Tokyo Bay were 27 to 110 pg/g and 110 to 420 pg/g, respectively; however, those from Poland were 37 to 125 pg/g and 990 to 1700 pg/g, respectively. Octa-CDD/F were also the predominant congeners, and the planar PCB concentration was significantly greater in samples from Poland. The results of this study suggest the presence of different pollutant sources between Tokyo Bay and industrial sites in Poland. Pine needles should be useful for not only a long-term indicator of ambient air pollution, but also for evaluations of the local, regional and national distributions of lipophilic air pollutants.