Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soils of the Moscow region: Concentrations and small-scale distribution along an urban–rural transect

In soils of the Moscow region, we examined PCB concentrations in bulk samples and aggregate fractions. Topsoils under grassland and forest at five locations along a southeast-bound transect from Moscow and at a northeastern background location (grassland only) were analysed. We collected aggregates >1 cm and fractionated them into interior and exterior portions and also analysed the remaining soil without the aggregates >1 cm. The concentrations of the sum of 17 PCBs (Σ17PCBs) in 35 bulk soil samples ranged from 3.1 to 42 μg kg−1. This was 48–61% of the Σ33PCBs determined in 23 selected samples. The congeners 138(+158), 101 and 52 were most abundant. All PCB concentrations and the degree of chlorination declined with increasing distance from Moscow. The PCBs were accumulated in the aggregate exterior (on average 146% of the Σ17PCBs in bulk soil). We conclude that the ecotoxicological risk of PCBs in soils may not be properly assessed with the conventional bulk soil analysis.