Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils of Beijing and Tianjin region： Vertical distribution, correlation with TOC and transport mechanism

The contents and distribution of 20 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HAHs) were investigated in 16 soil profiles of Beijing and Tianjin region. Transport of high molecular weight PAHs (HMWPAHs) and the correlation between total organic carbon (TOC) and their concentrations were also discussed. The results indicated that highly contaminated sites were located at urban or wastewater irrigation areas and pollutants mainly accumulated in topsoil (< 40 cm), with a sharp content decrease at the vertical boundary of 30–40 cm. Total PAHs/HAHs concentrations in soils from Tianjin were markedly greater than those from Beijing. Even the contents at bottoms of soil profiles in Tianjin were higher than those in topsoils of Beijing soil profile. HMWPAHs dominated the PAH profiles, exhibiting a uniform distribution of pyrogenic origin between topsoils and deep layers. Furthermore, the percentages of HMWPAHs remained relative constant with the depth of soil profiles, which were consistent with the distribution of particulate matter-associated PAHs in the local atmospheric environments. Therefore, HMWPAHs transport with particulates might be the predominant source found in soil profiles.     

Distribution and health risk assessment of organochlorine pesticides （OCPs） in industrial site soils： A case study of urban renewal in Beijing, China

A field survey was conducted in a contaminated industrial site of southern Beijing,China to investigate the contents and distribution of the organochlorine pesticides(α-,β-,γ-,δ-HCH,p,p-DDT,p,p-DDE,p,p-DDD and o,p-DDT) in the profiles of soil,and a health risk assessment was carried out with CalTOX multimedia exposure model.Results showed that mean concentrations of total hexachlorocyclohexane isomers(HCHs) and total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane isomers(DDXs) in soils were in the range of 13.20-148.71 mg...     

Regional assessment of cadmium pollution in agricultural lands and the potential health risk related to intensive mining activities： A case study in Chenzhou City, China

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of cadmium （Cd） contamination in agricultural soil and its potential risk for people. Soils, rice, and vegetables from Chenzhou City, Southern China were sampled and analyzed. In the surface soils, the 95% confidence interval for the mean concentration of Cd varied between 2.72 and 4.83 mg/kg （P 〈 0.05） in the survey, with a geometric mean concentration of 1.45 mg/kg. Based on the GIS map, two hot spot areas of Cd in agricultural soils with high Cd concentrations were identified to be located around the Shizhuyuan, Jinshiling, and Yaogangxian mines, and the Baoshan and Huangshaping mines, in the center of the city. About 60% of the total investigated area, where the agricultural soil Cd concentration is above 1 mg/kg, is distributed in a central belt across the region. The critical distances, at which the soil Cd concentration were increased by the mining activities, from the mines of the soils were 23 km for the Baoshan mine, 46 km for the Huangshaping mine, and 63 km for the Shizhuyuan mine, respectively. These are distances calculated from models. The Cd concentrations in rice samples ranged from 0.01 to 4.43 mg/kg and the mean dietary Cd intake from rice for an adult was 191 μg/d. Results of risk indexes showed that soil Cd concentrations possessed risks to local residents whose intake of Cd from rice and vegetables grown in soils in the vicinity of the mine was 596 μg/d.