Organochlorine compounds present in effluents from the pulp and paper industry are regarded as a potent threat to the environment. Total organohalogen concentrations are commonly measured in sediment as extractable organic halogen (EOX). Spacial and vertical levels of EOX were determined in areas likely to be affected by organochlorine pollution in Lake Saimaa, along the Kymi River, and around the Gulf of Finland. High levels of EOX were found in samples from southern Lake Saimaa and the Kymi River. Spacial EOX distribution indicated that there is transport of organochlorines from the Kymi River to the eastern Gulf of Finland, and EOX results from the Kotka area showed that substantial, widespread, organochlorine pollution persists 30 km off the coast. Sediments from Vyborg Bay (Russia) and from Tallinn Bay and Ihasalu Bay (Estonia) contained low amounts of EOX. Results from 73 stations indicated that pollution from chlorine bleaching and municipal water chlorination remains localized. Vertical EOX distributions in sediment samples from the whole Gulf of Finland and results from a sediment trap experiment in the open Gulf suggest that naturally produced halogenated compounds are contributing to surface sediment concentrations and, furthermore, far exceed the anthropogenic contribution.

The "missing time" (i.e., days 45-69) was accidentally included in some calculations and caused a 20% lower value in the per annum rates. The following corrected values were calculated using the true 102 days for collection of material.Page 102 (Natural Organohalogen Production in the Gulf of Finland). The dry matter deposition rate should be 0.51 kg m -2 a -1 . The EOX deposition rate should be 5.6 mg of Cl m -2 a -1 .Page 103 (Total EOX Quantities in the Gulf of Finland). The annual deposition of EOX around the Gulf of Finland would be 56 t in the active sedimentation areas.