Distribution and risk assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the remote air and soil of Manipur, India

Abstract

∑25PCB congeners including dioxin-like compounds were analyzed at three sites of Manipur India to assess the level of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in air and soil. The ∑25PCBs were higher in urban air (average 2,454 pg/m3), followed by the mountain air (average 2,109 pg/m3) and rural air (average 1,756 pg/m3). PCB levels observed in urban air were higher compared to PCB levels reported in major Indian metropolitan cities especially along the coastal region and were comparable with the pristine sites of India and also with some pockets of China and Europe. The heavier congeners (tetra, penta, tri and hexa) were dominant in both air and soil samples and show significant correlation with the ambient temperature. Emission of PCB congeners was investigated from soil surface. The total organic carbon present in soil shows the significant correlation (r 2 = 0.8; p < 0.05) with the PCBs could indicate that the PCBs originated from the similar sources. Principal component analysis revealed that the sources of higher chlorinated PCB congeners are local emissions while long-range atmospheric transport process is responsible behind elevated levels of lower chlorinated PCBs. Total calculated toxic equivalent (TEQ) levels in soil (37.17–160.5 pg/g) were superior to reported TEQ level of agricultural soil in Delhi, India (0.01–105.40 pg/g). Back trajectory analysis showed that the observed high levels of PCB at Manipur may due to movement of air masses, mostly from the Northern and Southern India and to some extent from Myanmar.