Polychlorobiphenyl behaviour in the water/sediment system of the Seine river, France

Investigations concerning the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels conducted from 1984 to 1992, showed persistent pollution in the surface sediment of the Seine river (from 50 to 26000 μg/kg of dry weight). A significant correlation between the particulate organic carbon (POC) and the PCB levels in the surface sediment was found (P 0.05). In sediment from different depths (3, 10 and 25 cm), our results led to the same conclusion: PCB levels increased according to the depth and were related to the rise of POC levels. Sediment PCB patterns at Maisons Laffitte, Achères and Porcheville showed no microbial biodegradation in the sediment of the Seine river even in the deepest sediment under methanogenic conditions. The distribution of different PCB components in the sediment appeared to depend mainly on their physical and chemical properties.