Concentrations of Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants in Peatlands of the Arkhangelsk Oblast

A study was conducted to assess the concentrations of persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) in high-moor peats of the Primorsky and Mezensky districts of the Arkhangelsk oblast. Peat deposits located in the zone of potential influence of pollutants and outside it were analyzed. Based on the results of chromatographic determination, data on the concentrations of some organochlorine compounds in the studied peats, in particular, persistent toxic hexachlorobenzene (HCB), pentachlorophenol (PCP), pentachloroanisole (PCA), and chlorinated phenols and their derivatives, were obtained. Target POPs were detected in all analyzed peat samples with noticeable variability in their concentrations across the study areas HCB (0.4–3.2 ng/g), PCP (0.2–1.8 ng/g), and PCA (up to 0.4 ng/g). The CP content of the studied peats varied over a wider range from 1.2 to 571 ng/g. The identified quantities of POPs (HCB, CP, and PCA) were most likely due to the entry of pollutants by atmospheric transport from various sources in the territories of nearby regions and neighboring states. The influence of local pollution sources associated with thermal processes should also be taken into account.

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