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different institutions for comparison (Laboratoire d'Etudes ed d'Analyses, Le Havre, 
France; Behörde für Wirtschaft und Arbeit Hamburg, Germany; Landesanstalt für 
Umweltschutz, Karlsruhe, Germany; Akva-plan niva, Tromsp, Norway; BSH, 
Hamburg, Germany). 
All samples were first quantified by EI-MS/MS to obtain the total PCA content. In 
addition, the sPCA and mPCA content was determined in those samples exceeding ca. 
50 ng/g dw total PCA. Below this level, quantities were too low for this analytical 
procedure based on single formula and congener groups. CH4/CH2CI2-NICI was mainly 
used. ECNI became sensitive enough, when new equipment was bought in 2003. 
EI-MS/MS allowed detecting PCAs in all sediments (5-377 ng/g dry weight (dw)). 
PCA levels in sediments from the Baltic Sea (45-377 ng/g dw) were generally higher 
than in those from the North Sea (5-355 ng/g dw, ten of sixteen samples below 50 ng/g 
dw). However, they were quite equal when expressed on TOC basis (North Sea 2.3- 
33.1 ng/g TOC, Baltic Sea 2.1-9.4 ng/g TOC). The TOC content was a good marker for 
PCA concentrations. Concentrations of mPCA (04-16, 42-303 ng/g dw) were always 
higher than for sPCA (00-13, 18-128 ng/g dw). The ratio mPCA/sPCA varied 
between 1.7 and 3.2. Higher TOC levels indicated usually also a higher PCA burden. 
The highest PCA concentrations in the North Sea were found at sites in the Elbe 
estuary, where chemical waste and sewage sludge had been dumped several years ago. 
PCA concentrations in sediments have only been reported from very few sites world 
wide. They were in the same range as in sediments from the North and Baltic Sea at 
non-contaminated sites. A limited number of additional sediments were analysed from 
different regions of Europe to increase the data set for comparison. The PCA levels in 
these river and sea sediments were comparable with those from the North and Baltic 
Sea. 
PCAs with C13 and C14 chain and 4 to 6 Cl atoms were usually the main components in 
the marine sediments. C17 chains were not detected in any sediment. sPCAs in marine 
sediments consisted to 50-87% of C12- and Co-compounds and mPCAs between 56-