Distribution, source, and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments from Dingzi Bay, China

Abstract

This study dissected 21 surface sediment samples collected from the vicinity of Dingzi Bay to understand the distribution and ecological risk of PAHs. The findings revealed that the concentration of PAHs in sediments ranged from 71.38 ng·g−1 to 163.28 ng·g−1, with an average of 106.43 ng·g−1. The main components were 3-ring PAHs. By using the diagnostic ratio and principal component analysis (PCA) approach, it was determined that the main sources of PAHs in the sediments in this region were biomass, coal combustion, and oil leaks. The majority of PAHs have low ecological risk, with just Acenaphthene having slightly higher concentrations than ERL, according to the effective range low and median approaches (ERL and ERM). The examination of the toxic equivalent approach revealed that PAHs in the research area had low levels of toxicity and ecological risk.