Selected Results

Analysis examples

alpha-HCH contamination of roe deer from the Nationalpark Harz

Decreasing contamination since the early 1990s

Longterm monitoring

Arsenic in environmental specimens

Levels of arsenic are mostly quite low. Continuous concentration trends over time are found only in single cases. During the monitoring period, decreasing arsenic concentrations were detected in spruce shoots from the Saarland conurbation (Warndt). Arsenic also decreased in herring gull eggs from the North Sea island Trischen. In contrast, levels of arsenic increased in bream from the Saale (Wettin).

Analysis examples

Barium levels in bladder wrack from the North- and Baltic Seas

Significant difference in barium levels of bladder wrack from the North and Baltic Seas.

Analysis examples

Benz[a]anthracene in earthworms from the Saartal and the city of Leipzig

Differences in contamination between two regions with high anthropogenic impact

Analysis examples

Benzo[b]naphtho[2,1-d]thiophene in blue mussels from the Jadebusen

Significant decrease in contamination since the late 1980s

Analysis examples

Benzo[e]pyrene in leaves of poplars from the Saartal

Decreasing contamination since the early 1990s

Analysis examples

Benzo[ghi]perylene in blue mussels from the Baltic Sea

Only marginal variations since the early 1990s

Analysis examples

beta-HCH in bream from the river Mulde

Peak contamination after Elbe flood of 2002

Longterm monitoring

Cadmium in environmental specimens

Since the mid 1980s cadmium levels in spruce shoots and poplar leaves from the Saarland conurbation remained more or less constant.<br /> In marine samples cadmium levels increased, decreased or remained more or less constant depending on sampling area and specimen.

Analysis examples

Calcium in urine of German students from four cities

Decreasing calcium excretion since the mid 1990s.

Analysis examples

Chromium in spruce shoots from the Saarland conurbation

Significant decrease in chromium contamination since the mid 1980s

Analysis examples

Chrysene and triphenylene in spruce from the Saarland Conurbation

Declining contamination since the mid 1980s

Analysis examples

Cobalt in earthworms from a semi-natural sampling site (Solling) and an anthropogenic influenced area (Dübener Heide)

Significant differences in cobalt levels at both sampling sites

Analysis examples

Cobalt in zebra mussel from the Donau

Significant differences between the sampling sites

Analysis examples

Contamination of humans with lead

Decreasing lead concentration in whole blood since the Lead-in Petrol Act became effective.

Analysis examples

Copper in blue mussels from the North and the Baltic Sea

Higher copper levels in mussels from the Baltic Sea

Analysis examples

Coronene in beech from the Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald

Current concentrations are above the average values of previous years

Analysis examples

Dieldrin in eggs of herring gulls from the North and the Baltic Sea

Significant decrease in contamination of eggs from the North Sea

Monitoring the efficacy

Do human specimen reflect the ban of the wood preservative pentachlorophenol?

The ban of pentachlorophenol (PCP) led to a dramatic decrease in PCP-concentrations in blood plasma of students from Münster. PCP-levels dropped by more than 95% between 1985 and 2008.

Analysis examples

Fluoranthene in spruce shoots from the Saarländischer Verdichtungsraum and the Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald

Considerable differences in contamination between a region with high anthropogenic impact and a semi-natural environment

Monitoring the efficacy

Has the ban of persistent pesticides resulted in decreased environmental contamination?

The Pesticide Application Ordinance has led to a significant decline of environmental pollution by organochloro pesticides. Heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide and aldrin are no longer present in the environmental samples. Dieldrin is detected only in single samples and at low levels. DDT and its metabolites, however, are still present in the environment. DDT and DDE levels are considerably higher in samples from East Germany as compared to West Germany.

Analysis examples

Hexachlorobenzene in blood plasma of students from Münster

Significant decrease in hexachlorobenzene burdens since the 1980s

Analysis examples

Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene in pine from the Dübener Heide

Significant decline in contamination since the early 1990s

Analysis examples

Iron in pine shoots from the Dübener Heide

Significant decreases in iron contents since the early 1990s

Analysis examples

Lead in eelpout from the North and the Baltic Sea

Decreasing contaminations in North Sea eelpouts

Monitoring the efficacy

Lead-in Petrol Act: has lead contamination of man and environment decreased?

Based on the Lead-in-Petrol Act, atmospheric lead emissions in Germany dropped by 65% between 1985 and 1995. Since the Act became effective lead concentrations in human specimens and in terrestrial environmental specimens decreased contemporaneous to the decline in consumption of leaded petrol.

Analysis examples

Lindane in blue mussels from the North Sea

Use restrictions result in decreasing contamination since the 1990s

Analysis examples

Magnesium in poplar leaves from Halle and Leipzig

Lower magnesium levels in Halle

Analysis examples

Manganese in beech leaves from the Upper Bavarian Tertiary Uplands sampling site Scheyern and the Biosphere Reserve/National Park Berchtesgaden

Higher manganese levels in beech leaves from <span lang="de" class="language">Scheyern</span>

Longterm monitoring

Mercury contamination of environmental specimens

Since the late 1980s mercury levels in spruce shoots from the Saarland conurbation have declined considerably. A similar trend is apparent for herring gull eggs from the North Sea. In herring gull eggs from the Baltic Sea, however, mercury has increased slightly. Decreasing mercury levels are also detected in bream from Rhine, Elbe and Mulde whereas contamination of breams from the rivers Saar and Saale have increased slightly since the mid 1990s.