Altitude Distributions and Source Analysis of OCPs and PCBs in Surface Soils of Changbai Mountain, Northeast China

Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in surface soils of Changbai Mountain, Northeastern China, have been quantified by gas chromatography with electron capture detector and the altitude distributions and possible pollution sources were analyzed. The concentrations of ∑HCHs, ∑DDTs and ∑₇PCBs were in the range of 3.09-25.6, 0.96-19.4 and 7.32-26.1 ng/g dw, respectively. The concentration of α-HCH, β-HCH, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, PCB 101, 138, 153, and 180 showed increasing trends with altitude. ∑₇PCBs in surface soils of Changbai Mountain were significantly higher than that in Chinese background areas. The concentration of lower volatile PCB isomers showed positive correlation with altitude. These pollutants may originate from the adjacent industrial and agricultural areas via atmospheric transport and cold-trapping effect through wet precipitation. Additional, DDTs may cause a certain potential ecological risks on birds and soil organisms and the usage of lindane in the adjacent areas cannot be excluded in Changbai Mountain.