Phenanthrene in pine shoots from the Dübener Heide

Declining contamination since the early 1990s

Phenanthrene emission is mostly associated with combustion of fossil fuels and wood. Elevated phenanthrene concentrations are therefore common in the vicinity of conurbations and industrial regions. In the environment phenanthrene is relatively persistent and accumulates in organisms.

In the early 1990s phenanthrene levels in pine shoots from the Dueben Heath (Dübener Heide) were high but declined significantly in the following years. This is most probably a result of improved emission protection and the shut-down of production plants in the adjacent industrial region of Bitterfeld. Additionally, reduced emissions from domestic heating may have contributed to the observed decline in phenanthrene contamination.

 Fig. 1: Phenanthrene in pine shoots from the Dübener Heide

Updated at: 2022-01-11

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