Gradient distribution of persistent organic contaminants along northern slope of central-Himalayas, China

High mountains may serve as condenser for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and the vegetation in remote areas has been used as a means to characterized atmospheric concentrations of air pollutants. In this study, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Himalayan spruce needle samples from Zhangmu–Nyalam region (central-Himalayas) were analyzed and the altitudinal gradient of these pollutants was investigated. Total HCHs and DDTs concentration in needles were in the range of 1.3–2.9 ng g− 1 dry weight and 1.7–11 ng g− 1 dry weight, which were lower than concentrations reported in spruce needles from Alps, however higher than concentrations in conifer needles from mountain areas of Alberta. Total Himalayan spruce needle PAHs was below 600 ng g− 1 and fluorene, phenanthrene and acenaphthene were abundant individual compounds measured. The ratios of α-HCH/γ-HCH in pine needles were similar with the usual values for technical HCH, implying technical HCHs might be used in this region. The high ratios of o-p′-DDT/p-p′-DDT and no p-p′-DDE measured in this study led to the suspicion that a new source of o-p′-DDT and/or p-p′-DDT existed in this region. In addition, higher ratios of low molecular weight-/high molecular weight-PAHs in this region indicated that petroleum combustion, vehicle emission and low-temperature combustion might be the major contributions of PAH source. To examine the POPs distillation, the analyte concentrations were correlated with altitude. The more volatile OCPs, α-HCH, γ-HCH, aldrin and α-endosulfan positively correlated with altitude, however, less volatile OCPs (DDT and DDD) inversely related with elevation. Almost all PAHs detected in this area showed positive correlations with altitude. It is worthy to note that heavy PAHs (Benzo[k] fluoranthene and Benzo[a]anthracene) displayed positive correlation, which implied the sources of PAHs were near the sampling sites. The distillation of POPs was strongly affected by the proximity between sampling sites and contaminant sources. If the contaminant sources are close to the mountains, it may be the dominant factor that controls the concentration gradient.