Organic pollutants in soils

Within the scope of the investigation series Organic Pollutants in grassland soils and in soils of agglomerations, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are investigated. These long-lived, bioaccumulative and toxic substances are subject to the prohibitions and restrictions of the Stockholm International Convention and the EU-POP Regulation due to their environmental and health hazards. They aim to reduce the concentrations of POPs in environmental media worldwide. This report examined the flame retardant hexabromocyclodododecane in soils of St. Pölten and Vienna. The results show that the measured concentrations are in the range of background loads. Increased concentrations were only detected locally, close to an issuer.