The impact of selected soil organic matter fractions on the PAH accumulation in the agricultural soils from areas of different anthropopressure

The level of 16PAH accumulation was determined in 75 soil samples collected from two agricultural regions of Poland corresponding to the smallest Polish administrative unit at the LAU 2 level. Both regions are characterised by similar territory and soil cover but different history of pollution and different pressure of anthropogenic factors. Overall accumulation of Sigma 16PAHs in the upper soil layer was within a wide range with the median value of 291 and 1253 mu g kg(-1) for a non-contaminated and high anthropopressure region, respectively. Nearly 75 % of the total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pool was represented by high molecular four-to-six-ring compounds, deriving mainly from combustion sources. The total organic carbon (C-org) and black carbon (BC) contents were the main parameters associated with the PAH accumulation in soils, and the level of the regional anthropopressure was considered a significant factor. The strongest links of PAHs/BC (r = 0.70, p <= 0.05) were found in the region of high anthropopressure, characterized by a relatively high content of BC (up to 45.3 g kg(-1)), which tends to heavily adsorb hydrocarbons. In a region of low influence exerted by anthropopressure, the PAH/C-org or PAH/BC relationships were not observed, which may suggest different diffuse sources of PAH origin and a dominant role of other organic matter fractions in retention of PAHs in soils.