Occurrence, Potential Risk Assessment, and Source Apportionment of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Water from Beiluo River

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are highly hazardous, persistent, and bioaccumulative substances that pose a threat to water quality in a number of locations, including the Beiluo River in Shaanxi Province, China. However, little is known about the contribution of PCBs to the Beiluo River. In this study, in order to look into the impact of sources on the water of the Beiluo River, the discovered PCB congeners in water were examined on a regional scale. The concentration of PCBs in water across Beiluo River was in the range from 0.065 to 1.92 ng L−1, and the average concentration was 0.37 ng L−1. The main PCB sources in the Beiluo River waterbody were found using positive matrix factorization (PMF). Source apportionment results indicated that the PCB pollution of the Beiluo River was mostly caused by industrial emissions, technical PCB mixtures, and coal and wood combustion. According to current ecological risk assessment guidelines, the PCB concentrations found in this study may have a negative impact on biological systems. Overall, the new information about the presence of several PCBs in the water of the Beiluo River justifies the need for urgent management actions, as well as long-term monitoring efforts, to protect ecosystems. Future investigations of these chemicals in China may use the conclusions of this first ecological risk level assessment on the PCB contamination in the waterbody of the Beiluo River as a guide.