Analysis of halogenated organic compounds in coniferous forest soil from a Lepista nuda (wood blewitt) fairy ring

Soil collected at the are of a Lepista nuda fairy ring growing in a coniferous forest was examined for the occurrence of low-molecular-weight halogenated organic compounds. This was done by subjecting organic soil extracts to GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) and GC-AED (gas chromatography-atomic emission detection) analyses. Fourteen organohalogens were detected and a number of these represented the major low-molecular-weight compounds found in the analysed extracts. The fourteen compounds were chlorinated anisoles, dimethoxybenzenes, methoxybenzaldehydes methoxybenzoic acids and three brominated methoxybenzaldehydes. To our knowledge, this is the first time brominated low-molecular-weight compounds have been found in an unpolluted soil sample. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd