VOLATILE ORGANOCHLORINE COMPOUNDS AND PESTICIDES IN PRECIPITATION FROM AN URBAN REGION (GDANSK, POLAND)

This paper presents results of determination of the levels of volatile organohalogen compounds (VOX) and selected organonitrogen, organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides in precipitation from an urban region.1* In addition, toxicity of precipitation was also examined. The results obtained were compared with data on soil toxicity at the same sampling locations. In addition, correlations between soil toxicity and the amount of precipitation, as well as VOX and pesticide concentrations in precipitation, were examined. VOX were determined in precipitation samples by gas chromatography, using direct aqueous injection (DAI) of the sample onto the capillary column and electron capture detection (ECD). Pesticides were preconcentrated prior to their final determination using solid phase extraction (SPE) with SDB sorbent (Merck). Final determination was carried out by gas chromatography, using a thermoionization detector for organophosphorus and organonitrogen pesticides and electron capture detector for organochlorine pesticides. Toxicity of the samples was determined using the ToxAlert test based on bioluminescent bacteria.