Accelerated delivery of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in recent sediments near a large seabird colony in Arctic Canada

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in sediment cores from ponds located near a large seabird colony at Cape Vera, Devon Island, Arctic Canada. Surface sediment PCB concentrations were ∼5× greater in seabird-affected sites relative to a nearby control pond and were correlated with independent indicators of seabird activity including, sedimentary δ¹⁵N and lakewater chlorophyll a and cadmium concentrations. PCB fluxes were amongst the highest recorded from the High Arctic, ranging from 290 to 2400 ng m⁻² yr⁻¹. Despite a widespread ban of PCBs in the mid-1970s, PCB accumulation rates in our cores increased, with the highest values recorded in the most recent sediments. Possible mechanisms for the recent PCB increases include a vertical flux step driven by seabird-delivered nutrients and/or delayed loading of PCBs from the catchment into the ponds. The high PCB levels recorded in the seabird-affected sites suggest that seabird colonies are exposing coastal ecosystems to elevated levels of contaminants.     

Spatio-temporal distribution of organic and inorganic pollutants from Lake Geneva (Switzerland) reveals strong interacting effects of sewage treatment plant and eutrophication on microbial abundance

Variation with depth and time of organic matter (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus), inorganic pollutant (mercury), as well as bacterial abundance and activity, were investigated for the first time in sediment profiles of different parts of Lake Geneva (Switzerland) over the last decades. The highest organic contents (about 32%), mercury concentration (27 mg kg⁻¹), bacterial abundance (in order of 9 × 10⁹ cell g⁻¹ dry sediment), and bacterial activity (1299 Relative Light Units (RLU)) were found in the highly polluted sediments contaminated by the waste water treatment plant (WWTP) discharge, which deposited during the period of cultural eutrophication. Such data, which contrast with the other sampled sites from deeper and more remote parts of the lake, prove that the organic matter and nutrients released from the municipal WWTP have considerable effects on bacterial abundance and activities in freshwater sediments. In fact, the relatively unpolluted deepwater sites and the coastal polluted site show large synchronous increases in bacterial densities linked to the anoxic conditions in the 1970s (lake eutrophication caused by external nutrient input) that subsequently increased the nutrient loading fluxes. These results show that the microbial activities response to natural or human-induced changing limnological conditions (e.g., nutrient supply, oxygen availability, redox conditions) constitutes a threat to the security of water resources, which in turn poses concerns for the world’s freshwater resources in the context of global warming and the degradation of water quality (oxygen depletion in the bottom water due to reduced deep waters mixing). Moreover, the accumulation of inorganic pollutants such as high mercury (methyl-mercury) concentration may represent a significant source of toxicity for sediment dwelling organisms.     

Contamination and potential sources of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in water and sediment from the artificial Lake Shihwa, Korea

Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in water and sediment collected from the artificial Lake Shihwa and surrounding creeks. Total concentrations of 23 PBDE congeners in water and sediment ranged from 0.16 to 11.0 ng L⁻¹ and from 1.3 to 18 700 ng g⁻¹ dry weight, respectively. The concentrations of BDE 209 in water and sediment were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than the total concentrations of other PBDE congeners. The concentrations of total PBDEs and BDE 209 in sediments were the highest compared to previously reported worldwide levels. The highest concentrations of PBDEs in water and sediments were found in creeks near industrial complexes. The PBDE concentrations gradually decreased with increasing distance from the creeks to the inshore and then offshore regions of the lake. BDE 209 was a major congener, accounting for 80% of the total PBDEs in water and sediment, consistent with a high consumption of deca-BDE for the brominated flame retardant market in Korea. Non-parametric multidimensional scaling ordination showed that surrounding creeks are major pathways of PBDE contamination associated with deca-BDE technical mixtures used in industrial complexes around Lake Shihwa. A significant correlation between total organic carbon and total PBDE concentration was found in sediments, and the correlation coefficients for individual PBDE congeners relatively increased from lower to higher brominated congeners.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediments in Hong Kong: a congener-specific approach to the study of coplanar PCBs in aquatic ecosystems

Patterns of contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in fourteen samples of coastal sediments from Hong Kong. Congener-specific analyses revealed nine sediment samples from Junk Bay to contain PCBs at concentrations ranging from 31 to 2200 ng g(-1) dry weight, concentrations generally increasing with distance north in the Bay. By contrast, five sediments from the Tolo area to the north-east of Hong Kong exhibited total PCB levels of only 6.6 to 45 ng g(-) dry weight. The patterns of relative abundance of PCB congeners in the northern Junk Bay sediments suggested the existence of ongoing source(s) of PCBs in this area; biphenyls of lower chlorination were present at high concentration in these samples. Three coplanar PCBs (3', 4, 4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl; 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl; and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl) were found to be present in Junk Bay sediments; these are highly toxic and are cause for concern in aquatic environments. The abundance of the three coplanar PCBs in the sediments studied was similar to that in commercial PCB mixtures, suggesting that these congeners are not enriched over other PCBs by the sediments of coastal ecosystems. It is concluded that the preferential enrichment of coplanar PCBs occurs in the biosphere, rather than in sediments.     

Linear alkylbenzenes in riverine runoff of the Pearl River Delta (China) and their application as anthropogenic molecular markers in coastal environments

The average concentrations of ∑LABs (sum of C₁₀-C₁₃-LABs) in runoff samples collected from the eight major riverine outlets of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) of China ranged from 1.4 to 6124 ng/L in the dissolved phase and from 0.01 to 11.4 μg/g dry weight in the particulate phase during March 2005-February 2006. The annual riverine flux of ∑LABs from the PRD to the coastal ocean was estimated at approximately 14 tons/yr. The inventories of ∑LABs in agricultural lands of Guangdong Province ranged from 313 to 1825 kg/yr. The early and late rice fields were the major sink of LABs, accounting for approximately 68% of total LABs inventory in agricultural lands. The social-economically estimated annual discharge of LABs from household detergents in the PRD was ∼696 tons/yr, more than an order of magnitude higher than that estimated from field measurements (about 14 tons/yr), which was attributed to several factors.     

Spatial distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in coastal marine sediments receiving industrial and municipal effluents in Kuwait

Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations were measured in surficial sediments from coastal sediments receiving industrial and municipal effluents in Kuwait. The summation PBDE concentrations varied by two orders of magnitude ranging from 80 to 3800 pg g(-1)dw. The congener distribution was dominated by BDE 183, with minor contributions from BDEs 154 and 153. The similarity between the congener profile to that of the technical octa formulation (Bromkal 79-8DE) suggests a source of this product in Kuwait. The observed gradient in concentration distribution, with high summation PBDE concentrations near the shore and an exponential decrease seaward, indicates that wastewater discharge from industrial activities in the study area is the primary source of these compounds in the sediments.     

Factors controlling benzo(a)pyrene concentration in aerosols in the urbanized coastal zone. A case study: Gdynia, Poland (Southern Baltic Sea)

Annual study on the benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) concentration in aerosols in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Gdansk (southern Baltic) has been performed at Gdynia station. Combustion processes, especially domestic heating of both local and regional origin, were identified as the main sources of benzo(a)pyrene in this area. Concentrations observed during the heating season (mean 2.18 ng?m^?3) were significantly higher than these recorded in the non-heating season (mean 0.05 ng?m^?3). High benzo(a)pyrene concentrations were associated with low temperature and high humidity. Whereas high levels of precipitation usually decreased the BaP concentration in aerosols. The concentration of this factor in the studied area depended also on the wind direction and air masses trajectories. During heating season, continental air masses (coming from S, SE, SW) seemed to increase benzo(a)pyrene concentration, while maritime air masses (from N, NE, NW) caused its decrease. The differences in the BaP concentration resulting from potentially different emission levels of this compound during working and non-working days were not clearly pronounced.     

Distribution and sources of hydrocarbons in surface sediments of Gemlik Bay (Marmara Sea, Turkey)

Seabottom sediments from Gemlik Bay, one of the most polluted spots in SW Marmara Sea, were analyzed for parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentration of 14 PAH compounds in sediment samples collected from 61 locations are distributed in a broad spectrum from low to very high concentration levels (50.8-13482 ng g-1). No significant correlation was found between summation operatorPAHs and organic carbon content while summation operatorPAHs increase slightly with silt/clay ratio. Therefore the distribution and concentrations of PAHs would be determined more by direct input, rather than by the type of sediment found locally. The most polluted areas are distributed nearshore eastern (Gemlik) and southern (Kursunlu, Mudanya and Trilye) coasts which are mainly influenced by rapid ecotourism development, direct discharges from rivers, surface run-off and drainage from port areas, domestic and industrial effluent discharges through outfalls and various contaminants from ships. Special PAH compound ratios, such as Phe/Anth, Flu/Py, B[a]A/Chry; LMWPAH/HMWPAH; Per/; Per/summation operatorPAH; Per/summation operator(penta-aromatics) and Flu/(Py+Flu), were calculated to evaluate different hydrocarbon origins and their relative importance. Pyrolytic activity is dominant along the highly-populated eastern and southern coasts. Meanwhile, petrogenic activity mixed with pyrolytic activity is a matter of fact in front of the main industrial-tourism ports and anchoring areas as well. Higher concentration of perylene are distributed along the mostly polluted eastern and southern coastal areas, however, the concentrations of perylene relative to the penta-aromatic isomers are dominant especially in the northern and deepest sectors of the bay, indicating diagenetic origin for the presence of perylene.     

Environmental assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of the Santander Bay,Northern Spain

Samples of intertidal surface sediments (0-2 cm) were collected in 17 stations of the Santander Bay, Cantabric Sea, Northern Spain. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 16, were analysed by HPLC and MS detection. Surface sediments show a good linear correlation among the parameters of the experimental organic matter evaluation, where total carbon (TC) and loss on ignition (LOI) are approximately 2.5 and 5 times total organic carbon (TOC). A wide range of TOC from 0.08% to 4.1%, and a broad distribution of the sum of sigma16PAHs, from 0.02 to 344.6 microg/g d.w., which can be correlated by an exponential equation to the TOC, has been identified. A qualitative relationship may be established between the industrial input along the rivers and the concentration of sigma6PAHs in the sediments of the estuaries: Boo estuary (8404-4631 microg/g OC), Solia-San Salvador estuaries (305-113 microg/g OC) and Cubas estuary (31-32 microg/g OC). This work shows a dramatic change in the spatial distribution in the concentration of PAHs of intertidal surface sediments. The left edge of the Bay has the main traffic around the city and the major source of PAHs is from combustion processes and estuarine inputs, leading to medium values of PAHs in the sediments; the right edge of the Bay has much lesser anthropogenic activities leading to lower values of PAHs in sediments. The distribution of individual PAHs in sediments varies widely depending on their structure and molecular weight; the 4-6 ring aromatics predominate in polluted sediments due to their higher persistence. The isomer ratio does not allow any clear identification of the PAHs origin. Environmental evaluation according to Dutch guidelines and consensus sediment quality guidelines based on ecotoxicological data leads to the same conclusion, sediments in the Santander Bay show a very different environmental quality depending on the spatial position from heavily polluted/medium effects to non-polluted/below threshold effects. These results indicate that local sources of PAHs, especially estuary discharges, lead to very different qualities of sediments in coastal zones, where traffic and industrial activities take place.     

Temporal variation of fluoride concentration in antlers of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) living in an area exposed to emissions from iron and steel industry, 1948-2000

Temporal changes of environmental fluoride concentration in the industrialized area of Siegen, western Germany were assessed by studying the fluoride content of antlers (n=116) collected between 1948 and 2000 from the resident roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) population. During the analyzed period, major fluoride emission sources in the study area have been iron- and steelworks. Fluoride concentrations in the antlers ranged between 118 and 5428 mg/kg of bone ash. There was an overall increase in antler fluoride content from the late 1940s/early 1950s to the late 1950s/mid-1960s. Thereafter, antler fluoride levels overall steadily declined. For statistical analysis, the data were grouped into five periods (1948–1959, 1960–1969, 1970–1979, 1980–1989, and 1990–2000). Geometric mean fluoride concentrations of the samples ranged from 323 (period 1990–2000) to 2096 mg/kg of bone ash (period 1960–1969). Sample means for the periods 1980–1989 and 1990–2000, respectively, were always significantly lower than those of older samples. The decrease in antler fluoride concentrations during recent decades suggests a drop of ambient fluoride levels, that is hypothetically attributed to a reduction in the number of emission sources in the area and a decline of fluoride discharges from both local and more distant sources due to improved emission control measures. Comparison with antler fluoride data for other roe deer populations from western Germany further suggests that the roe deer from the Siegen area were recently exposed to an only moderate additional fluoride load from industrial sources. Studying antler fluoride concentrations is a convenient and cost-effective method of monitoring temporal changes in ambient fluoride levels.     

Analysis of the different source terms of natural radionuclides in a river affected by NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials) activities

The present work studied the radioacitivity impact of a coal-fired power plant (CFPP), a NORM industry, on the water of the Regallo river which the plant uses for cooling. Downstream, this river passes through an important irrigated farming area, and it is a tributary of the Ebro, one of Spain’s largest rivers. Although no alteration of the ²¹⁰Po or ²³²Th content was detected, the ^234,238U and ²²⁶Ra contents of the water were significantly greater immediately below CFPP’s discharge point. The ²²⁶Ra concentration decreased progressively downstream from the discharge point, but the uranium content increased significantly again at two sampling points 8 km downstream from the CFPP’s effluent. This suggested the presence of another, unexpected uranium source term different from the CFPP. The input from this second uranium source term was even greater than that from the CFPP. Different hypotheses were tested (a reservoir used for irrigation, remobilization from sediments, and the effect of fertilizers used in the area), with it finally being demonstrated that the source was the fertilizers used in the adjacent farming areas.     

Spatial and temporal variations of trace metals in bottom sediments of Peter the Great Bay, the Sea of Japan

New data on trace metal distribution in bottom sediments of Peter the Great Bay (the Sea of Japan) are presented. Much higher concentrations were detected near the most likely anthropogenic sources of trace metal inputs (waste water discharges from Vladivostok and Nakhodka, and the Vladivostok coastal landfill). Sediments in these contaminated areas were up to 700 ppm in Zn, 530 ppm in Pb, 7 ppm in Cd and 3 ppm in Hg. River runoff is of minor importance as a metal source in the investigated areas. The spatial distribution of trace metals outside the areas directly influenced by sewage discharges is regulated by natural processes such as sediment sorting by grain size. Based on radiometric dating of sediment cores, increases in the trace metal content of bottom sediments near Vladivostok begun in approximately 1945.     

Groundwater pollution source apportionment using principal component analysis in a multiple land-use area in southwestern China

Identification of different pollution sources in groundwater is challenging, especially in areas with diverse land uses and receiving multiple inputs. In this study, principal component analysis (PCA) was combined with geographic information system (GIS) to explore the spatial and temporal variation of groundwater quality and to identify the sources of pollution and main factors governing the quality of groundwater in a multiple land-use area in southwestern China. Groundwater samples collected from 26 wells in 2012 and 38 wells in 2018 were analyzed for 13 water quality parameters. The PCA results showed that the hydro-geochemical process was the predominant factor determining groundwater quality, followed by agricultural activities, domestic sewage discharges, and industrial sewage discharges. Agriculture expansion from 2012 to 2018 resulted in increased apportionment of agricultural pollution. In contrast, economic restructure and infrastructure improvement reduced the contributions of domestic sewage and industrial pollution. Anthropogenic activities were found the major causes of elevated nitrogen concentrations (NO₃^?, NO₂^?, NH₄⁺) in groundwater, highlighting the necessity of controlling N sources through effective fertilizer managements in agricultural areas and reducing sewage discharges in urban areas. The applications of GIS and PCA successfully identified the sources of pollutants and major factors driving the variations of groundwater quality in tested years.

     

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in riverine and marine sediments of the Laizhou Bay area, North China

PCN congeners were analyzed in marine and riverine sediments of the Laizhou Bay area, North China. Concentrations of PCNs ranged from 0.12 to 5.1 ng g⁻¹ dry weight (dw) with a mean value of 1.1 ng g⁻¹ dw. The levels of PCNs varied largely, with industrial group approximately ten folds higher than those of the rural in riverine sediment. A strong impact by direct discharge from local factories was suggested. Similar compositional profiles were found within groups. High resemblance of compositional profiles between industrial samples and Halowax 1014 was observed. It was indicated that PCNs in riverine sediments were mainly from release of industrial usage, with additional contributions from industrial thermal process at certain sites. In marine sediments, it was suggested that PCNs along the coast of Laizhou Bay were mainly controlled by riverine input. While in the central bay, PCN distributions were possibly impacted by combined multiple factors.     

Occurrence of persistent organic pollutants in sediments and biota from Portugal versus European incidence: A critical overview

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are widespread compounds, such as organohalogenated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pesticides, which can be found in all types of environmental compartments. Their presence in the aquatic environment is a worldwide problem, with emphasis on sediments which act as depository and consequently as a source of hydrophobic, recalcitrant and harmful compounds. Besides, these pollutants might affect the reproduction and mortality of living organisms, diverging in their potential to bioaccumulate in tissues. The present paper aims to review the occurrence of POPs in sediments and biota from the coastal, estuarine and river areas of Portugal. The list of the studied compounds comprises organohalogenated compounds, PAHs, organometallic compounds, pesticides, sterols, fatty acids and pharmaceutical compounds. The contamination of sediments by various pollutants is presented, such as PAHs up to 7,350 ng g^?1 found in Sado estuary and polychlorinated biphenyls up to 62.2 ng g^?1 in the case of sediments collected in Ria de Aveiro. The occurrence of these persistent toxic substances in sediments demonstrates aquatic contamination from agricultural, industrial and urban discharges and the concern about the potential risks to aquatic organisms, wildlife and humans. In fact, several classes of POPs have also been found in biota, such as polychlorinated biphenyls up to 810.9 ng g^?1 in sentinel fish from the Douro River estuary and pesticides in bivalves from the Sado River estuary. The importance of further systematic research on sediments and biota is here highlighted to compare the contamination of these two reservoirs; to assess their spatial and temporal variation; and to determine other classes of POPs that were not investigated yet (e.g., industrial compounds, estrogens and many classes of pharmaceuticals).     

HCHs and DDTs in salt marsh plants (Scirpus) from the Yangtze estuary and nearby coastal areas, China

HCHs and DDTs in salt marsh plants taken from intertidal flats in the Yangtze estuary and coastal area in April and July 2002 were determined by GC-ECD. A significant seasonal effect was observed for HCHs and DDTs in sources and concentration levels in different sample types including above-ground tissues and roots as well as the whole plants and rhizospheric sediments. The results indicated that the concentration of t-HCH was higher in the above-ground tissues than in their roots in April; however, the partitioning of DDTs between contaminated sediments and the roots showed the higher concentrations of t-DDT in their roots. HCHs and DDTs concentration levels were higher in above-ground tissues than in roots in July. BCFs of HCHs and DDTs exhibited lower values with higher levels of contaminants in sediments, and higher values with lower levels in sediments.     

Spatial distribution and vertical profile of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and hexabromocyclododecanes in sediment core from Tokyo Bay, Japan

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) and polybrominated diethyl ethers (PBDEs) were detected in three sediment cores and six surface sediments of Tokyo Bay, Japan. HBCDs were detected for the first time in this region with concentrations ranging from 0.056 to 2.3 ng/g dry wt, implying their widespread contamination, even though their concentrations were lower than summation operatorPBDEs (di- to nona-BDEs) and BDE-209. Levels of these compounds were higher near to the highly populated industrial area of the bay implicating industrial and human activities as sources of these compounds. Summation operatorPBDEs increased in the sediment layer up to the mid-1990s and decreased afterwards, whereas BDE-209 showed an increasing trend until now, following the usage of different commercial BDE mixtures. HBCDs first appeared in the mid-1970s and increased until today. The annual surficial flux of HBCDs (0.62-2.4 ng/cm2/yr) is equal to summation operatorPBDEs (0.95-2.6 ng/cm2/yr) but lower than that of BDE-209 (17-58 ng/cm2/yr).     

Persistence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments in the deeper area of the Northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea)

The Po Valley is the most important agricultural and industrial area of Adriatic basin. In this area there are several rivers which transport polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the sea via suspended particulate matter. This study describes the persistence of PAHs in the deep and coastal sediments of the Northern Adriatic. Different environmental conditions were studied: salinity, temperature, sunlight, sediment particle size and organic matter in sediment. The average conditions in the deep areas of the Northern Adriatic are: salinity higher than 37, temperature lower than 11 °C, darkness and clayey sediments with a high organic matter content. These conditions increase the persistence of the PAHs in the deep area of the Northern Adriatic.     

Pb isotope ratios of lake sediments in West Greenland: inferences on pollution sources

Lead (Pb), like many other pollutants, is carried into the Arctic by long-range atmospheric transport from industrial centers at lower latitudes. Unlike other pollutants, Pb can be used to assess emission source regions through the use of stable Pb isotope analyses. Using sediment cores from 17 lakes (three profiles and 14 top/bottom sample pairs) in the Søndre Strømfjord (Kangerlussuaq) region, West Greenland (67°N), this study assesses the extent and origin of Pb pollution along a 150 km transect between the Inland Ice and Davis Strait. Like ice core analyses from the interior of Greenland, the isotope analyses suggest pre-industrial contamination, although significant concentration changes in the lake sediments do not occur until the 18th/19th centuries, with the maximum concentrations occurring about 1970. Compared to the background, the Pb concentrations in recent sediments have increased about 2.5-fold, with slightly higher enrichments towards the coast, where annual precipitation is highest. For all of the lakes, there is a major decline in the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio in the recent sediments (mean 1.218±0.030) as compared to deeper sediments (mean 1.365±0.084). Using a Pb isotope mixing model, we calculated an excess Pb isotope ratio, i.e. the isotope ratio necessary to produce the observed declines in recent sediments. While studies of atmospheric aerosols in the high Arctic (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio ∼1.16) have indicated that Russian emissions (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio ∼1.15–1.16) are a dominant source of arctic pollution, the excess Pb ratios of the lake sediments in the Søndre Strømfjord region (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio ∼1.14–1.15), in the low Arctic, suggest that W Europe (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio ∼1.14) is also a major emission source for this region.     

Sediment analysis to support the recent glacial origin of DDT pollution in Lake Iseo (Northern Italy)

In the present study, a depth-related distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in sediments of Lake Iseo, one of the major southern Alpine Italian lakes, is reported in order to further test the hypothesis of melting Alpine glaciers as a secondary source of contamination. In a previous paper, a “glacier contamination hypothesis” was suggested to explain the unexpected contamination of the biota of Lake Iseo, mainly fed by the Alpine melting ice.The sediment core analyses covered around the last 50 years. The organic matter profile evaluated as a Loss-On-Ignition percentage indicated transition of the basin from an oligotrophic to a mesotrophic status at around the early 1970s, but there was no evidence of the shift to eutrophy in the 1980s. Among DDTs, pp’DDE was the predominant metabolite, accounting on average for 79.4% of the total DDT concentrations and ranging from 6.4 to 447.5 ng g⁻¹ d.w. PCBs ranged from 5.0 to 163.7 ng g⁻¹ d.w. The maximum PCB concentrations were found in sediment layers corresponding to the 1970s when the highest production and use of these compounds occurred in Italy. In contrast, concentrations of DDTs showed a sharp increase from the early 1990s, long after their agricultural use was banned in Italy. This delayed pollution provides support for the hypothesis that the recent retreat of glaciers represents a secondary pollution source for old pesticides that were stored in the ice at the time of their use in agriculture.