Organic pollutants in the Odra river ecosystem

The paper presents the results of the analysis of water and bottom sediment samples from different locations along the Odra river, collected during eight campaigns in the years 1997–2000. All the basic organic pollutants were determined. Pollution of water with PCBs was negligible while with PAHs was not critical. Concentrations of volatile organochlorine compounds in water were the highest in Brzeg Dolny and its surroundings. Concentrations of tetrachloroethene were exceptionally high in the Szczecin Lagoon. The Odra sediments were non-polluted or only slightly polluted with PCBs, pesticides and different classes of volatile organic pollutants. However, PAHs were present in rather large concentrations, especially in the upper course of the Odra river. The data obtained contributed to the evaluation of pollutants discharges to the Baltic sea via Szczecin Lagoon as well as to the characterization of pollution sources (point sources and area sources) in the Odra catchment area.