Abstract
To assess the ambient air quality in Kabul, we measured the contents in tree bark samples of 17 chemical elements by ICP–MS, polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) by GC–MS, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by GC–ECD and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by HPLC. While there were rather high levels of sulfur (up to 2277 μg g −1), the heavy element contents were rather low (i.e. Pb was in the range 3.12–5.00 μg g −1), even though a slight peak value was recorded in the area of most intense traffic (Pb up to 13.91 μg g −1). Slight traces of organohalogen compounds, i.e. PCBs and PCDD/Fs, were detected (ΣPCBs=1.184–6.318 ng g −1; ΣPCDD/Fs=1.42–2.38 pg g −1). Highly chlorinated congeners, i.e. OCDD/Fs and penta-, hexa- and hepta-CBs, dominated the profiles of these compounds. Only three- and four-ringed PAH compounds were detected, but at very low levels comparable with the natural background. The slightly anomalous trace element values and the profiles of PCDD/Fs and PAHs determined in the bark samples suggest a close relationship with emissions from automotive traffic and the domestic burning of wood and fossil fuels. The presence of distinct but unimportant PCB emission sources can also be inferred.
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