Biomonitoring of polychlorinated biphenyls in Bavaria/Germany—long-term observations and standardization

Abstract

In the 1980s, it was demonstrated that semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulate in plant leaves. Plants are at the base of the food chain, and therefore a starting point for transfer of PCBs to animals and related human exposure. For two decades, the Environment Agency of the German federal state of Bavaria (LfU) has been operating long-term monitoring stations to measure the impact of organic air pollutants. Standardized ryegrass, curly kale, and spruce needles are used as bioindicators for the atmospheric entries of PCBs into vegetation. From the end of 1990s to 2009, there was a marked decline in the concentrations of indicator PCBs (i-PCBs) and a minor decline in PCB-TEQ levels. After 2009, the concentrations leveled off. In rural areas, the median concentrations of Σ6 i-PCB in ryegrass and curly kale were about 3 and 4 μg/kg dm in 2000, and have been about 0.5 and 1 μg/kg dm since 2009, respectively. Concentrations in spruce needles fell from 0.9 to 0.4 μg/kg dm. Median PCB-TEQ concentrations in the bioindicator plants ranged from 0.05 to 0.23 ng/kg dm between 2002 and 2009 and from 0.15 to 0.05 ng/kg dm after 2009. Indicator PCB and PCB-TEQ concentrations were several times higher at the urban station in Munich than at the rural areas, reflecting the emissions from in-use PCB stocks in the building sector. The likely reason of the slower decrease of PCB-TEQ compared to i-PCBs is the formation of PCB-126 by dechlorination of industrial PCBs in open applications.

Accumulation pattern of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using Plantago lanceolata L. as passive biomonitor

“…As such, several efforts have been made to standardise experimental protocols (e.g. Weber et al 2018 ).…”

Reviewing the relevance of dioxin and PCB sources for food from animal origin and the need for their inventory, control and management

“…The dl-PCB (and PCDD/F) concentrations in grass increase with population density. In more populated areas (median 0.13 ng PCB-TEQ/kg 88% dm) they approach critical levels, while in a city like Munich the dl-PCB levels are around 0.4 ng PCB/kg dm (see below; [ 64 ]).…”

“…Overall, PCB emission and contamination of the environment, including vegetation, e.g., grass or spruce needles, have decreased in the last 20 years in Germany [ 64 ].…”

Contamination potentielle des aliments par des polychlorobiphényles (PCBs): Connaissance du polluant et évaluation de la perception du risque

“…Toutefois, sur les 1.5 millions de tonnes des PCB produites dans le monde entre 1929 et 1989 (Tajik et al, 2012) une grande quantité des PCBs est disséminée dans la nature, ou se retrouvent encore dans des anciens transformateurs électriques en service ou usagés, contaminant ainsi l'eau, l'air, le sol, donc jusqu'aux denrées alimentaires d'origine diverse (Oziolor et al, 2018). Quoique la contamination par les PCBs soit de faible niveau, elle est omniprésente (Imbeault et al, 2000;Weber et al, 2017). Ainsi, les principales voies d'exposition aux PCBs pour l'être humain sont le poisson, la viande, les produits laitiers, les oeufs, la respiration d'air contaminé par les PCBs à proximité des vieux transformateurs dans des vieilles installations électriques, des sites d'enfouissement ou de stockages provisoires ne répondant pas aux normes environnementales (Hadnagy et al, 2007).…”