Ability of carrot (Daucus carota L.) to accumulate selected polychlorinated biphenyl congeners

Accumulation and distribution of seven indicator PCB congeners (IUPAC No. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180) in car-rots grown on spiked soils (100 tg of each PCB congener per kg of soil) with different physical and chemical characteristics were investigated during two vegetation seasons. Results showed that the concentrations of the sum of the tested congeners (PCB7) in edible parts of carrots were significantly higher compared to shoots. The differences in PCB7 concentration in carrot roots among treatments were observed only during the first experimental year. The highest value, 1280 +/- 130 mu g PCB7.kg(-1), was found in carrot roots planted on the soil with the lowest organic matter content. The differences in accumulation of individual congeners were more obvious in the second experimental year, in terms of higher accumulation rate of more chlorinated biphenyls. The effect of soil type was not significant. In both years, congener profiles of all soils sampled after the harvest of carrots were characterized by a larger proportion of highly chlorinated PCB congeners.