ABSTRACT

The aim of our work was to investigate the soil pollution by PCBs at railway surroundings i.e. two railway lines and railway junction Iława Głowna. At railway junction the pollution by heavy metals (lead and cadmium) was also investigated. The soil samples collected on selected experimental areas were analysed by extraction and GLC. The results of our investigation allow to confirm the increased level of PCBs in analysed samples. It proves the suggestion about emission of PCBs connected with railway transport. The level of contamination is extremely high on the region of old railway junction Iława Głowna. The relation between type of carried load and level of pollution was not detected. The lack of close correlation between contamination level and distance from railway line may results from water unsolubility of PCBs. The concentration of PCBs depends mostly on transport frequency or train staying, whereas heavy metal concentration depends also from type of carried load.