Carcinogenic potential of PAHs in oil-contaminated soils from the main oil fields across China.

Abstract

The concentrations, composition profiles, and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in 55 surface soil samples collected from four oil fields across China (Daqing, DQ; Shengli, SL; Xinjiang, XJ; and Huabei, HB). The total 16 priority PAHs concentrations of DQ, SL, XJ, and HB ranged from 857 to 27,816; 480 to 20,625; 497 to 43,210; and 12,112 to 45,325 ng/g, respectively, with means of 9160; 6394; 13,569; and 22,954 ng/g and the seven possible carcinogenic PAHs accounted for 8-25.7 % of the total PAHs. Almost all the samples were heavily contaminated, and phenanthrene, chrysene, and pyrene were the most dominant components. The PAH isomeric ratios indicated that PAHs in oil fields mainly originated from petroleum. The toxic assessment illustrated that people living and working in oil fields would suffer low carcinogenic risk, which was somehow coincided with the results of epidemiological survey on cancer incidence. It seems essential to pay more attention to the chronic human health effects of exposure to oil fields and to focus new studies on the public health field that involves a large number of people all over the world.