Accumulation of specific pollutants in various media in the area affected by a petrochemical center

The Southern part of Romania is a highly industrialized region, including oil refining, ferrous and non-ferrous, chemical and power point source categories. The results from monitoring oil pollution around the town Ploiesti (South Romania), known for its petrochemical and chemical industrial compounds and crude oil activity, are reported. The distribution of heavy metals, rare earth and other microelements along the wind rose profile (at 20 Km distance from the oil complex ) was examined through the analysis of soil samples. Mosses were chosen as biomonitors of local atmospheric pollution with heavy metals and other toxic elements. The trace elements content of vegetation growing near the plant's area was compared with that of the background one. The contamination of the river flowing in the vicinity of the plant was examined. Comparison of the spatial trends of different pollutants shows the influence of the some atmospheric transport phases on the uptake of trace elements by vegetation. A comparative evaluation of the results was carried out to indicate at which extend the amount of pollutant in the atmosphere or the amount deposited in the soil or transported by sediment contributes to pollution of the local ecosystem in the vicinity of a petrochemical compound. (authors)