Congener profiles of PCDD/Fs in soil and vegetation samples collected near to a municipal waste incinerator

Recently, we measured the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in soil and herbage samples collected in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) from Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). Since these concentrations could be increased by the presence of other emission sources of PCDD/Fs in the same area in which the MSWI is placed, the main goal of the present study was to determine the PCDD/F congener profiles in the soil and vegetation samples collected in 1996 and again in 1997 near to the facility and to compare with those from samples collected in a close area outside of direct emissions of the plant. From an accurate inspection of the PCDD/F congener profiles, it was concluded that PCDD/F emissions from the MSWI here examined are neither the only nor the main responsible for the presence of PCDD/Fs in the samples of environmental matrices collected in the area under direct influence of the plant.