Main Sources Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Research Articles

Sediment record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Dianchi lake, southwest China: Influence of energy structure changes and economic development

Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a sediment core from Dianchi Lake, southwest China, were analysed. The influence of changes in China’s energy structure for 2–6 ringed PAHs was investigated to assess sources and the impact of socioeconomic development on temporal changes in concentrations. The concentration of the ΣPAH16 ranged from 746 to 2293 ng g−1. Prior to the 1960s relatively low concentrations of the ΣPAH16 and a larger proportion of 2–3-ring PAHs indicated that biomass combustion was the main source of PAHs. A rapid increase in the concentrations of 2–3 ring PAHs between 1975 and 2004 was attributed to population growth and coal consumption. A declining trend since 2004 was interpreted as being due to local changes in household energy usage. Increased concentrations of 4-ring PAH between 1975–2005 and 5–6-ring PAHs between the 1980s to 2004 showed correlations with increased coal consumption and the number of motor vehicles, respectively. These were caused by rapid urbanization and industrialization in the Dianchi watershed following the implementation of the Reform and Open Policy in 1978. A subsequent decline in the concentrations of 4-ring and 5–6-ring PAHs may have been due to decreased coal consumption and improvements in emission standards, respectively. Source apportionment by a PMF model revealed that coal combustion (29.2%), vehicle emissions (24.2%), petrogenic sources (21.8%), and biomass combustion (24.9%) were the sources of PAHs in the lake sediment core, and that coal combustion was the most important regional source of PAHs pollution.

Distribution,source characteristics and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of lakes along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River

为明确长江中游地区湖泊沉积物中多环芳烃（PAHs）的分布特征、来源及其生态风险，于2018年7月采集了该地区12个湖泊的表层沉积物样品.采用气相色谱-质谱联用仪（GC-MS）测定了沉积物中16种PAHs的含量.结果表明：12个湖泊沉积物中均检测出16种优控PAHs，PAHs的总含量在572.7~1766.2 ng/g （dw）之间（均值为976.5±285.0 ng/g （dw））.武汉市东湖沉积物中PAHs含量最高，达到1634.8±111.4 ng/g （dw）.与国内外其他地区湖泊沉积物相比，长江中游地区湖泊沉积物中PAHs含量高于国内偏远地区的抚仙湖、青海湖及博斯腾湖，低于东部地区的巢湖、太湖及美国经济工业发达地区的湖泊.根据单体PAH的聚类分析结果，12个湖泊可以分成3种类型，类型1主要以低环为主，占比为64.04%±7.02%，类型2低环和中高环分布相对平均，分别为50.76%±5.17%和49.24%±5.17%，类型3低、中、高环分布相对平均，占比分别为35.35%±3.56%、26.17%±0.45%和38.48%±3.84%.综合该区域PAHs的分布特征及异构体比值法与主成分分析法的结果表明，类型1湖泊沉积物中PAHs主要来源为煤炭、木材等生物质的燃烧源；类型2和类型3湖泊沉积物中PAHs主要来源为煤炭、木材等生物质的低温燃烧以及机动车等燃烧汽油、柴油的尾气排放和工业炼焦等化石燃料的高温燃烧源.沉积物中PAHs与总有机碳（TOC）之间显著的相关性表明，沉积物中TOC含量是影响长江中游湖泊沉积物中PAHs归趋分布的主要因素.长江中游流域湖泊沉积物中PAHs的RQ_NCs值均小于800，且RQ_MPCs值大于1的风险商值法生态风险评价结果表明，长江中游流域湖泊表层沉积物中PAHs整体呈中等风险水平.;In order to study the distribution characteristics, sources and ecological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediments of lakes along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, surface sediments were collected from 12 lakes in the region in July 2018. The contents of 16 PAHs were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that 16 kinds of priority PAHs were all detected in these lake sediments. The contents of total PAHs were between 572.7-1766.2 ng/g(dw)(with the mean value of 976.5±285.0 ng/g(dw)). The highest content of PAHs in the sediments of Wuhan Lake East was 1634.8±111.4 ng/g (dw). Compared with lake sediments in other domestic and oversea areas, the PAHs content in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River was higher than that of Lake Fuxian, Lake Qinghai and Lake Bosten in remote areas of China, but lower than that of Lake Chaohu and Lake Taihu in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the economically and industrially developed areas in the United States. According to the results of single PAH clustering analysis, 12 lakes can be divided into three types. Type 1 was mainly occupied by low ring of 64.04%±7.02%. Type 2 was mainly equivalent occupied by low ring and middle ring, which accounting for 50.76%±5.17% and 49.24%±5.17%, respectively. Type 3 was homogeneous occupied by different rings, which accounting for 35.35%±3.56%, 26.17%±0.45%, and 38.48%±3.84% from low ring to high ring. According to the distribution characteristics of PAHs in this area and the results of isomer ratio method and principal component analysis, the main source of PAHs in type 1 lake sediments is the mixed source of biomass combustion and petroleum, such as coal and wood. The main sources of PAHs in lake sediments of type 2 and type 3 are low-temperature combustion of biomass such as coal and wood, exhaust emissions from motor vehicles burning gasoline and diesel, and high-temperature combustion of fossil fuels such as industrial coking. The significant correlation between PAHs and total organic carbon (TOC) in the sediments indicates that, the content of TOC in the sediments is the key factor affecting the distribution of PAHs in the lake sediments in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The risk assessment results of the risk quotient method, that the RQ_NCs of PAHs in lake sediments in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River are all less than 800, and the RQ_MPCs are greater than 1, indicating that the PAHs in the lake sediments along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River presents a moderate risk level.

Distribution and source estimation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coastal sediments from Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Environmental contextPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are carcinogenic environmental contaminants that tend to migrate into the sediments in oceans and seas. Their vertical distribution in sediments from the Seto Inland Sea matched their emission over time, which in turn reflected changes in energy sources and industrial activities in Japan. This study shows that human activities on land directly and significantly influence the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments. AbstractSeventeen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were identified in sediment cores collected at several locations in the Seto Inland Sea in 2015 and 2016 to understand their spatial distribution and potential emission sources. PAHs were analysed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The age of the sediment cores was analysed using radioisotopic dating techniques to reconstruct historical PAH emissions. The total concentrations of 17 PAHs in the sediment cores of Osaka Bay in 2015 were in the range of 108–2810ng g−1 dry weight (dw) with a mean concentration of 1050ng g−1 dw. The total concentrations of 17 PAHs in sediment cores from the Seto Inland Sea in 2016 were in the range of 52.6–941ng g−1 dw with a mean concentration of 313ng g−1 dw. The spatial distribution of PAHs showed the highest concentration in Osaka Bay and the lowest in Kii Channel in 2016. The horizontal PAH distribution showed a decreasing trend in concentrations from the estuary offshore to Osaka Bay and Aki-Nada. The vertical PAH distribution revealed that levels were higher before the 1980s–1990s, when oil consumption and industrial activities in the Osaka region reached a maximum in the 20th century. The diagnostic ratios of PAHs and a principal component analysis revealed three main emission sources of PAHs, industry, biomass burning and traffic activities.

Concentration and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in oysters from Todos os Santos Bay (Bahia, Brazil)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae) collected from Todos os Santos Bay (Bahia, Brazil). The total PAH concentration was highest in Madre de Deus (36.3 to 37.8 ng g−1 in dry weight, dw), which is located near a petrochemical complex, oil refinery, and commercial port. In the Paraguaçu river estuary, PAH concentrations varied between 23.2 and 25.7 ng g−1 dw. The lowest concentrations (1.55 ng g−1 dw) were found in the Jaguaribe river estuary, which can be considered a relatively preserved area. The main source of PAHs in the study areas was observed to be pyrogenic. Values of benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalent ranged from 0.28 to 4.20. The concentrations of PAHs in oysters from the Paraguaçu river estuary and in Madre de Deus indicate the possible lifetime risk of developing cancer in humans who feed on it.

Contamination and cancer risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban dust from different land-uses in the most populated city of Iran

Due to population growth and the considerable increase in usage of the resources, Human environment quality has been highly threatened by pollutants in recent decades. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread, persistent organic pollutants which are of great concern due to their carcinogenicity. The present study is the first investigation that assesses contamination, sources and cancer risk of 16 priority PAHs proposed by US EPA in urban dust samples (n = 80) taken in different land-uses of Tehran metropolis, the capital of Iran. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is used to measure PAHs concentrations. The results showed that the average concentration of the total 16 PAHs and the average Benzo[a]pyrene total potency equivalency were 566 μg kg−1 dry weight and 36.4 μg kg−1, respectively. In the commercial and residential land-uses high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs were dominated, whereas in green lands, light molecular weight (LMW) PAHs showed maximum contribution. The highest concentration of total PAHs were observed in the commercial areas due to limited air circulation and heavy traffic loads. Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) model was applied to evaluate the cancer risk of exposure to PAHs contaminated dust. Based on the results, Tehran's residents (children and adults) in various land-uses except for green lands, are in high potential cancer risk of PAHs via ingestion and dermal contact exposure routs. Ace, Chr, Pyr, and BghiP which are indicators of traffic emissions, were found to be predominant PAH contributors in urban dust of commercial areas. Also, Ace, Fl, Phe, and BghiP which are derived from fossil fuel combustion, were mainly observed in the industrial land-use. Based on the results of factor analysis and diagnostic ratios, Diesel/gasoline engine vehicular emissions and combustion were found to be the main sources of PAHs in urban dust of Tehran.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine organisms from Mischief Reef in the South China sea: Implications for sources and human exposure

Abstract Mischief Reef, the largest atoll of Nansha Islands, China, is an important sea passage for heavy tonnage ships and an excellent base for marine fisheries. No pollution survey of this reef has been previously conducted. The results indicated that total concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the investigated 44 marine organisms (37 fishes and 7 invertebrates) ranged from 12.8 to 81.3 ng/g wet weight (ww). A significant positive correlation was observed between lipid content and the PAH concentrations based on ww only in the fish inside the reef. The low molecular weight PAHs accounted for the largest proportion (88%). The principal component analysis suggested four main sources of PAHs: combustion of fossil fuels (37%), oil spills and diesel-powered cargo ship emissions (14%), traffic-related exhaust (13%) and coal combustion (11%). Seafood from Mischief Reef is safe for human consumption.

Reduction in the exposure risk of farmer from e-waste recycling site following environmental policy adjustment: A regional scale view of PAHs in paddy fields

Farmland contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has drawn increasing attention across China with enhanced regulations and environmental policies proposed by government to protect soil environment safety. As the informal electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling activities were forbidden under recent environmental regulation, this study compared levels, compositions, spatial distributions, human health risks of PAHs in paddy soil within the vicinity of an e-waste recycling area in southeastern China, with 129 and 150 soil samples collected in 2011 and 2016, respectively. The soil contamination was dominated with high molecular weight PAHs. The mean concentration of EPA 16 PAHs decreased from 590.4 ± 337.2 μg kg−1 in 2011 to 407.3 ± 232.2 μg kg−1 in 2016. Distribution maps of soil PAHs concentration displayed the temporal change in spatial. Principal component analysis together with diagnostic ratios revealed the combustion of biomass and coal in industrial and unregulated e-waste dismantling were the main sources of PAHs in the study area. Both deterministic and probabilistic assessments demonstrated reduced exposure risk for farmers from 2011 to 2016. Sensitivity analysis revealed that exposure frequency (EF) is the most influential parameter for the total variance in the risk assessment model. This study implied that the more stringent environmental policy and regulation can lead reductions in soil contamination with PAHs.

Urban-rural gradients of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils at a regional scale: Quantification and prediction

The quantitative study of urban-rural gradients for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is extremely important to understand the behavior of POPs as well as for ecological risk assessment and management. In this study, a practical urban-rural gradient model (URGM) was developed using atmospheric point source diffusion combined with a fugacity approach to test potential mathematical relationships among urban and rural soils. The mean value of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for urban soils (0–2-km sites) was 570.80 ng/g, and was approximately 3.5 times higher than rural soils (30–50 km sites). Significant linear correlations were found between the amounts of PAHs in the surface soil and the city population and between the soil concentration and artificial surface area. Urban-rural PAH concentrations were simulated by the URGM and calibrated by city population and land-cover data, with average relative errors of 12.84%. The results showed that the URGM was suitable for simulating urban-rural PAH concentrations at a regional scale. The combustion of fossil fuels, biomass, and coal was the main source of soil PAHs in the study area, and the characteristic ratios of PAHs indicated a transition trend from pyrogenic to petrogenic sources along the urban-rural transects. This study thus provides a combined method for quantifying urban-rural gradients of PAHs and can thereby promote quantitative research on coupling among land cover, socio-economic data, and POP concentrations.

Vertical Distribution Characteristics of PAHs in Soils with Different Land Use Types During Rapid Urbanization

To study the vertical distribution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soils from different land use types during urbanization, three land use types (urban land, cultivated land, and woodland) were selected in the eastern part of Shenyang, where urbanization is occurring rapidly. In each case, five soil samples were obtained from different depths (0-1 m). Change in the concentrations of PAHs, vertical migration factors, and the distribution and sources of PAHs were analyzed in the vertical soil profiles. Total concentrations of PAHs in the different soil type were ordered as follows:city 1 (513.19-12689.04 μg·kg-1); dry field (36.18-7196.10 μg·kg-1); paddy field (70.92-747.53 μg·kg-1); city 2 (19.39-636.47 μg·kg-1); and woodland (4.79-349.24 μg·kg-1). PAHs were mainly trapped in shallow soils in urban and forest land, but can migrate deeper into the soil profile in cultivated land. High-ring PAHs were abundant at depths of 0-30 cm, while low-ring PAHs were abundant deeper in the soil profiles. SOM had a significant effect on the vertical distribution of PAHs, and the physical and chemical properties of PAHs had a significant influence on their migration ability. However, combustion sources from industrial activities and transportation in the region are still considered the main sources of PAHs despite the fact that some low-ring PAHs derive from petroleum product inputs.

Comparison of PAH content, potential risk in vegetation, and bare soil near Daqing oil well and evaluating the effects of soil properties on PAHs.

As the largest oil field in China, Daqing oil field has been developed in the past six decades. The objectives of this study were to measure the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and assess their ecological risk of PAHs in vegetation soil and bare soil near oil well in Daqing and surrounding soil. Ten sites were selected from two types of soil in grassland: vegetation soil (VS, n = 5) and bare soil (BS, n = 5). The mean concentration of 16 PAHs (∑16 PAHs) was 2240.2μg/kg. The mean concentrations of eight carcinogenic PAHs (∑8c PAHs) was 1312.3μg/kg which accounts for 59% of ∑16 PAHs. The sampling sites had higher proportions of high weight molecular ringed PAHs with higher proportions of benzo (a) pyren (BaP) and benzo (k) fluoranthene (BkF). The main source of PAHs was petroleum, coal/biomass combustion, and vehicular emission in these sampling sites. According to Canadian soil quality guidelines, 60% sites had a significant risk to human health. Moreover, 50% sites had high ecological risk and 30% sites were close to this critical value. Notably, PAH levels were significantly higher in VS than BS; moreover, VS had higher organic matter (OM) content, soil dehydrogenase (sDHA) activity, and lower pH and salt content. A structural equation model was established to explore the effects of soil properties on PAH concentration in VS. The result revealed that OM and sDHA were meaningful to enhance the adsorption and biological fixation of PAHs. This study will provide basic information on PAH level and potential application for phytoremediation.

Profiling and potential cancer risk assessment on children exposed to PAHs in playground dust/soil: a comparative study on poured rubber surfaced and classical soil playgrounds in Seoul.

Children can get affected by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) while they interact with play area soil/rubber surfacing and exposed to PAHs by dermal contact, inhalation and hand-to-mouth activity. A comparative study has been conducted on PAHs profiling and probable cancer risk of children from PAHs present in uncovered playground surface soil and poured rubber surfaced playground dust. Surface soil and dust samples have been collected from 14 different children parks around the Korea University campus, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Concentrations of 16 PAHs in the soils/dust were found to be in a range of 2.82-57.93μgg-1. Profiling of the PAHs from the playground soils/dust reveals 3-ring PAHs are dominating with 79.9% of total PAHs content, on an average. The diagnostic ratio analysis confirms that vehicular exhaust and fossil fuel burning are likely the main sources of high molecular weight carcinogenic PAHs, whereas low molecular weight PAHs have pyrogenic origin. The probabilistic health risk assessment using Monte Carlo simulations for the estimation of the 95% cancer risk exposed to the PAHs from the surfaced playgrounds shows a little higher value than the USEPA safety standard (1.3 × 10-5). Sensitivity analysis revealed exposure duration and relative skin adherence factor for soil as the most influential parameters of the assessment. Noticeably, cancer risk is approximately 10 times higher in poured rubber surfaced playgrounds than in uncovered soil playgrounds.

Comparison and Source Apportionment of PAHs Pollution of Runoff from Roads in Suburb and Urban Areas of Shanghai

Rapid urbanization has driven surface runoff pollution in urban areas to a serious state. In particular, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)from road surface runoff has attracted wide attention. Two traffic roads in Shanghai (Caobao Road in an urban central area, and Jiajin Expressway in the suburbs) were identified as research objects. Runoff samples from these two traffic roads were collected for 7 rainfall events between 2007 and 2018. Then, the concentration characteristics and composition ratio of PAHs were analyzed. The differences in pollution sources of runoff PAHs from two types of traffic roads were identified based on characteristic ratio method and positive matrix factorization(PMF). The results showed that the geometric mean value (5539.2 ng·L-1) of 16 PAHs of runoff from Jiajin Expressway in the suburbs was 10 times greater than that from Caobao Road (548.1 ng·L-1), which was related to a higher truck traffic and a lower cleaning frequency on Jiajin Expressway. The benzo(a)pyrene(BaP)concentration on both roads exceeded the national emission standard, and the amount in the Jiajin Expressway was up to 21 times higher than the standard. There was no significant difference in the composition of PAHs of runoff between Caobao Road and Jiading Expressway, and 4-6 ring were dominant and responsible for 80% of total PAHs loads in both sites. Based on the analysis of the characteristic ratio method, the PAHs of runoff from Caobao Road mostly came from coal-fired sources and traffic sources, while that from Jiajin Expressway were mostly from fossil fuels, coal, and other traffic sources. Quantitative source analysis through PMF method showed that the primary sources of PAHs were gas and coal, accounting for 48.6%, followed by traffic emission sources (29.8%), and oil sources (21.7%). The contribution ratios of PAHs sources of runoff from Jiajin Expressway, sorted in descending order, are:traffic emission sources (38.5%), coal-fired sources (34.6%), oil sources (14.6%), and coking sources (12.6%). PAHs sources and contribution rates between urban and suburban roads are completely different. Gas and coal were the main sources of PAHs of runoff from Caobao Road, which was related to the high population density and relatively large gas consumption in the Xuhui District. Traffic emission was the main source of PAHs from surface runoff on Jiajin Expressway, which was related to the massive flow of coaches and trucks, and their higher PAHs emission compared to small cars. In addition, there are still coking sources of PAHs of runoff from Jiajin Expressway, which can be related to the massive industrial coal consumption in the Qingpu District.

Determination of influencing factors on historical concentration variations of PAHs in West Taihu Lake, China

The adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by components such as elemental carbon (EC), total organic carbon (TOC), and particles is different, and EC and PAHs are good materials for reconstructing historical human activity patterns and pollution conditions. In this study, the effects of EC (soot and char), TOC and particles of different grain size on PAHs in surface sediments were quantitatively analysed, and their historical concentrations in a sediment core from western Taihu Lake were reconstructed. The contents of soot, TOC, clay, EC and char explained 57.2%, 27.6%, 26.0%, 24.0% and 16.4%, respectively, of the PAH concentrations in surface sediments. The correlation between the soot and PAH levels was significantly higher than that between the char, TOC, and clay contents and PAH levels, and PAHs were mainly affected by the local economic development and human activity, as indicated by metrics of population, highway mileage, coal burning, and industrial output. With the development of the economy of the Taihu Lake Basin, the composition of PAHs in the sediments has changed: the proportion of low-molecular-weight PAHs decreased from 42.4% to 17.5%, and that of high-molecular-weight PAHs increased from 58.7% to 82.5%. The concentration of PAHs in pore water from Taihu Lake over the past 100 years was reconstructed and ranged from 43.1 to 961.2 μg L−1, with an average of 180.7 μg L−1. After China's reform and opening up, the concentrations of various PAHs in Taihu Lake changed from safe to chronic pollution levels. The ratios of lead (Pb) isotopes and the diagnostic ratios of PAHs showed that the main sources of PAHs in western Taihu Lake sediments were human activities such as coal and petroleum combustion.

Pollution characteristics and risk assessment of ambient PM2.5-bound PAHs and NPAHs in typical Japanese and New Zealand cities and rural sites

Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and six nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) were measured in PM2.5 samples collected over one year (2016–2017) in two cities: Kanazawa (Japan) and Auckland (New Zealand) and their respective rural background sites: Wajima in Noto Peninsula (Japan) and Tapora in Okahukura Peninsula (New Zealand). The mean concentrations of ΣPAHs and ΣNPAHs followed similar distribution profiles in both countries, with higher concentrations in the urban than rural sites. The mean of ΣPAHs in Kanazawa City was 0.53 ng/m3 and represented the highest total concentration compared to the other three sites. Conversely, the highest ΣNPAHs concentrations were measured in Auckland City (48.2 pg/m3). Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis revealed that automobiles were the main sources of PAHs and NPAHs in both cities, whereas coal combustion and domestic wood burning were the dominant sources of PAHs and NPAHs in rural sites in Japan and New Zealand. Back trajectory analyses showed that high levels of PAHs detected at Wajima were the result of long-range transport from China and Mongolia in winter, which was not observed at the other sites. Considering the adverse health effects of PM2.5, further studies and continuous monitoring of atmospheric PAHs and NPAHs are necessary to evaluate mitigation strategies in both hemispheres.

Evaluation of Human Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Some Edible Oils and Shea Butter in Nigeria

The present study presents the results for the determination of the concentrations of the 16 USEPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 30 samples of different types of vegetable oil (palm, groundnut, palm olein, soybean, cotton and castor seed oils) and shea butter in Nigeria. In addition, information is provided on the compositional patterns and sources of PAHs, as well as possible risks through consumption of contaminated products. Detection and quantification of the PAHs was carried out by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The PAH concentrations in the samples varied from 126 to 865 µg kg−1. The compositional patterns of the PAHs in the oil samples followed the order: 4R > 3R > 5R > 6R > 2R. The majority of the samples had individual PAH concentrations above the 2 µg kg−1 limit and all the samples surpassed the German Society for Fat Science limit of 25 µg kg−1 for the total PAHs. The estimated dietary intakes based on a 11.1 kg per capita consumption rate ranged from not detected to 133 ng BaP kg−1 bw day−1, 3.0 to 154 ng PAH2 kg−1 bw day−1, 11.7 to 178 ng PAH4 kg−1 bw day−1 and 13.2 to 234 ng PAH8 kg−1 bw day−1. The results indicate 5 to 669 chances in a million population of the risk of developing cancer. Source apportionment, as derived from PAH isomeric ratios, suggests that combustion processes, contamination by petroleum from transport trucks, as well as pyrolysis of fats, are the main sources of PAHs in these vegetable oils and shea butter.

Sources and gas-particle partitioning of atmospheric parent, oxygenated, and nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a humid city in southwest China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) derivatives, such as oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs) and nitrated PAHs (NPAHs), some of which are more toxic and persistent than parent PAHs, have been ubiquitously detected in the environment. Gaseous and particulate PAHs, OPAHs, and NPAHs in the air were measured in an urban environment of Chongqing in southwest China in 2016. Annual average concentrations were 79.9 ± 40.5 ng/m³, 93.7 ± 75.2 ng/m³ and 1.65 ± 1.43 ng/m³ for ∑29 PAHs, ∑10 OPAHs and ∑27 NPAHs, respectively. PAHs had highest level in winter and lowest level in summer while NPAHs and OPAHs showed relatively higher concentrations in summer than spring and autumn, which may be explained by stronger secondary formation of NPAHs and OPAHs in summer. Source apportionment analysis revealed that biomass burning, coal combustion, and petroleum combustion were the main sources for PAHs, while secondary formation, especially in summer, contributed greatly to OPAHs and NPAHs. Gas/particle partition coefficient (logKP) of PAHs, OPAHs and NPAHs, calculated from our observation data, was found to correlate well with the corresponding subcooled liquid vapor pressures (logPLo). The shallower slope of the linear regression between logKP and logPLo for PAHs (−0.61 to −0.52) than OPAHs or NPAHs (−2.14 to −0.73) indicated stronger absorption into the atmospheric particles for PAHs. Three gas/particle partitioning models were evaluated, including the Junger-Pankow adsorption model, the KOA absorption model, and the Dual octanol-air/soot-air model. Compared to the measured values of particle-bound fractions, model predicted values were in reasonable range for PAHs, but were underestimated for NPAHs and OPAHs, suggesting that other important factors such as the influence of RH should be incorporated in gas/particle partitioning models for less hydrophobic compounds, especially in humid areas.

Existence, removal and transformation of parent and nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in two biological wastewater treatment processes

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) are pollutants commonly present in the environment. Some NPAHs are considered to have more severe toxic effects than their parent PAHs. The existence of 16 PAHs (678.5–3817.8 ng/L in wastewater, 499.9 ng/g-1239.6 ng/g in sludge) and 5 NPAHs (175.8–1392.4 ng/L in wastewater, 483.5 ng/g-2763.1 ng/g in sludge) was determined in a biological wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Qingdao, China. Anthracene and naphthalene were the predominant PAHs, and 2-nitrofluorene and 9-nitroanthracene were the predominant NPAHs. Petroleum, liquid fossil fuel combustion and exhaust emissions were the main sources of PAHs and NPAHs in this study. In both the sequencing batch reactor/moving-bed biofilm (SBR/MBBR) and the anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A2O) process, low-molecular-weight PAHs were mainly removed through volatilization and biodegradation/biotransformation. Meanwhile, the removal of high-molecular-weight PAHs and NPAHs depended on adsorption and sedimentation. The transformation from PAHs to NPAHs mainly occurred in the aqueous-phase, especially in summer and that was confirmed by mass flow and ratios variation. Overall, the removal capacity of the A2O process for PAHs and NPAHs was better than that of the SBR/MBBR process. Tertiary treatment processes had little effect or even a negative effect on the removal of PAHs and NPAHs.

Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coral reef fish from the South China Sea

Little data are available on the bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coral reef fish from the South China Sea (SCS). In this study, we collected 21 coral reef fish species from the Xisha and Nansha Islands in the SCS to investigate the occurrence of 16 US-EPA PAHs. The total PAH concentrations (ΣPAH) in the collected fish ranged from 12.79 to 409.28 ng/g dry weight (dw, Xisha Islands) and from 32.71 to 139.09 ng/g dw (Nansha Islands), respectively. The ΣPAH concentration of Scarus niger collected from the Xisha Islands (237.13 ng/g dw) was about twofold higher than that of Scarus niger collected from the Nansha Islands (139.09 ng/g dw). The dominant compounds were found to be 2-ring and 3-ring PAHs. Based on qualitative and quantitative analyses, the main PAH sources were found to be coal and biomass combustion (50.43%), petroleum sources (25.86%), and vehicular emissions (16.10%).

Distribution and Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Karst Groundwater System in a Strongly Industrial City

To understand the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in karst groundwater in a strongly industrial city, the authors collected 23 groundwater samples in the water and dry period in Liuzhou using component spectra of 16 types of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in combination with the physical and chemical properties and analyzed the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and sources of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in karst groundwater in heavy industrial city. The results show that the average concentration of ∑PAHs in the groundwater in the wet period has an order of Liubei District > Liudong District > Liuxi District > Jila Underground River and the concentration proportion of PAHs decreases with the increase of the molecular weight, while the order in the dry period is Jila Underground River > Liubei District > Liuxi District > Liudong District. The PAHs in the groundwater during the dry season have a high pollution level, while a low pollution level is observed in the wet season. The main sources of PAHs are organic matter burns at high temperature such as fossil fuel, which are produced by human activities such as industrial processes, transportation, heating, and cooking.

Characteristics of PM2.5-bound PAHs at an Urban Site and a Suburban Site in Jinan in North China Plain

The PM2.5 samples at an urban site (JN) and a suburban site (QXT) were simultaneously collected in a heavily polluted city in North China Plain (Jinan) from March to December in 2016, and eighteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed. The annual average ∑PAHs concentrations were 39.8 ± 36.6 and 23.6 ± 14.0 ng m–3 at JN and QXT, respectively, with the highest concentrations observed during winter. PHE and CHY were the two most abundant PAHs, accounting for 31.1% at JN and 34.2% at QXT. Source apportionment analyses from the results of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that coal/biomass combustion and vehicle emission were the major PAH sources in PM2.5. The ratio of LMW + MMW (LMW: low molecular weight; MMW: middle molecular weight) PAHs to ∑PAHs at JN was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than that at QXT, indicating coal/biomass burning made more significant contribution to suburban area than that to urban area. Conversely, vehicle emission worked more effectively to urban area. The total benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) equivalent concentration (BaPeq) of PAHs (gas + particle phases) was 9.66 times higher than the standard value (1.00 ng m–3) and mainly originated from PAHs in particles (93.1%) with the highest contributor of Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP, 60.8%) at the urban site of Jinan in winter. The total incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) assessment suggested that all age groups may have potential health risk at JN in winter except for infant. The Concentration Weighted Trajectory (CWT) model indicated that local emission and short-distance transport were the main sources of PAHs during spring and winter, and long-range transport played a key role on PAH concentrations in summer and autumn.