Edinburgh Napier University

  In this study, three different soils with contrasting features, spiked with 300 mg benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)/kg dry soil, were incubated at 20 °C and 60% water holding capacity for 540 days. At different time points, BaP and {DNA} were extracted and quantified, and {DNA} adducts were quantified by 32P-postlabelling. After 540 days incubation, 69.3, 81.6 and 83.2% of initial BaP added remained in Cruden Bay, Boyndie and Insch soils, respectively. Meanwhile, a significantly different amount of DNA–BaP adducts were found in the three soils exposed to BaP over time. The work demonstrates the concept that {DNA} adducts can be detected on {DNA} extracted from soil. Results suggest the technique is not able to directly reflect bioavailability of BaP transformation products. However, this new method provides a potential way to detect mutagenic compounds in contaminated soil and to assess the outcomes of soil remediation.