Levels of persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air of Central and Eastern Europe

The ambient air and soil monitoring network was established in 22 countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in support of the Global Monitoring Plan under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Polyurethane foam based passive air samplers were used as a tool for monitoring of POPs in ambient air at remote, rural, suburban, and urban sites with the aim of filling the information gaps identified in this UN region. High atmospheric levels of PCBs, HCHs, DDTs or HCB were observed at the rural as well as urban sites indicating that organochlorines still pose a significant problem in CEE. Pesticide storage, industrial complexes, military zones, and landfills were responsible for the elevated levels of POPs in this survey. The background levels of these compounds, however, were often elevated, too.