Abstract
Extractable organic halogens (EOX: Cl, Br and I) in soil and sediment samples collected in northern Poland were analysed by instrumental neutron activation technique. The concentrations of EOX were as follows; extractable organic chlorine (EOCl) > extractable organic bromine (EOBr) > extractable organic iodine (EOI) . Organohalogens, which are defined as EOX, were found to be widely distributed in soils and sediments of northern Poland. EOX concentrations in sediment samples were higher than those in soil samples.
Known organochlorine compounds in EOCl were quantified to reveal the content of unknown organochlorine compounds. The results showed that a large part of EOCl was occupied by unidentified compounds. A good statistical correlation was observed between the concentrations of PCBs and unknown EOCl, suggesting that most constituents of unknown fraction in EOCl have been originated from human activities and distributed as PCBs contamination.
