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Abstract
Passive samplers have been used for monitoring PAH in ambient air (spruce and pine sprouts, beech and poplar leaves) and in the marine environment (mussels and macroalgae) of Germany. A significant decrease of the benzo[a]pyrene content in these matrices has been observed for the last decade in West-Germany and also in East-Germany during 1991–1994. The predominance of brown-coal combustion processes in East-Germany is indicated by the PAH-profiles exhibiting high concentrations of low-boiling PAH. For the B[a]P content in mussels annual periodicities have been found with minima in summer and maxima in winter. Though PAH concentrations in macroalgae also declined from 1985–1994 no clear seasonal periodicities could be verified.