Are pine needles bioindicators of air pollution? Comparison of organochlorine compound levels in pine needles and ambient air.

Levels of six PCB congeners and seven organochlorine pesticides were investigated and compared in ambient air and in pine needle samples. The applied methods are suitable for the analysis of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in environmental samples and for their detection in recent intakes. DDE, HCB, lindane, PCB-28, PCB-52, PCB-101, PCB-138 and PCB-153 were found in all pine needle and air samples. The highest median values were found for PCB-28, PCB-101 and gamma-HCH, and the lowest for PCB-180 and DDD. The median value of alpha-HCH/ gamma-HCH ratios was 0.2 in both matrices. DDE/DDT ratios were close to or below 1 in some pine needle and ambient air samples. The results showed a correspondence between air and pine needle pollution; the same compounds were present in the highest or in the lowest levels in both types of matrices. These results suggest that pine needles are passive biomonitors of air pollution.