Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the surface sediments from Yellow River, China

Fourteen surface sediment samples were collected from Lanzhou Reach of Yellow River, China in July 2005. The concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by gas chromatography equipped with a mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS). Total concentrations of the PAHs ranged from 464 to 2621 ng/g dry weight. Sediment samples with the highest PAH concentrations appeared at the downstream of Lanzhou City, where there was the biggest wastewater discharge pipeline from Lanzhou Oil Refinery Factory and Lanzhou Chemical Industry Company. Municipal sewage also contributed to the PAH contamination in the sediments. A correlation existed between the sediment organic carbon content (f(oc)) and the total PAH concentrations (r(2)=0.57), suggesting that sediment organic carbon content played an important role in controlling the PAHs levels in the sediments. According to the observed molecular indices, PAHs contamination in Lanzhou Reach of Yellow River originated both from the high-temperature pyrolytic processes and from the petrogenic source, showing a mixed PAH input pattern, which was also confirmed by the results of a principal component analysis (PCA). According to the numerical effect-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of the United States, the levels of PAHs at most studied sites in Lanzhou Reach of Yellow River should not exert adverse biological effects. Although at some sites (such as S10, S12, etc.) one PAH may exceed the effects range low (ERL), individual PAH did not exceed the effects range median (ERM). The results indicated that sediments in all sites should have potential biological impact, but should have no impairment.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils in the vicinity of Nanjing, China

The occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in vegetable soils from five vegetable fields (including: Liuhe, Xixia, Pukou, Jianye and Yuhua districts) in Nanjing outskirt were investigated with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with fluorescence detector. The total concentrations of 15 priority PAHs in 126 soil samples ranged from 21.91 to 533.84ngg(-1) dry weight, and the sum of seven carcinogenic PAHs concentrations varied from 1.48 to 236.19ngg(-1) dry weight. Statistical analysis of the PAHs concentrations showed that the highest PAHs concentration was observed in Liuhe, and the lowest PAHs concentrations were found in Xixia among the five districts. The ratios of fluoranthene to sum of fluoranthene and pyrene concentrations (Flt/(Flt+Pyr)) were more than 0.5 in 99% of vegetable soil samples, showing that the PAHs in soils were generally derived from straw and coal combustion sources. The results from principal component analysis (PCA) further indicated that extensive combustion activities affected the PAHs distribution in Nanjing vegetable soils.     

Exposure of traffic police to Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Beijing, China

Exposure of on-duty traffic police in Beijing to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated during the summer, 2004 using a personal sampling technique in measuring both particulate and gaseous phase PAHs. The results were then compared with those from two control sites away from the street. Exposure levels to gaseous and particulate PAHs for the traffic police were found to be 1525 +/- 759 ngm(-3) and 148 +/- 118 ngm(-3), respectively, representing 2-2.5 times higher levels than those at the control sites. The daily inhalation exposure of the police was estimated to be 277 ngkg(-1)d(-1). Most of the PAHs exposure came from the vapor phase, particularly NAP, FLO and PHE. Based on calculated PAH diagnostic ratios, the major source of PAHs exposure was from vehicle exhaust. The effects of temperature, humidity and atmospheric stability on exposure levels are also discussed.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fuel-oil contaminated soils, Antarctica

Where fuel oil spills have occurred on Antarctic soils polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may accumulate. Surface and subsurface soil samples were collected from fuel spill sites up to 30 years old, and from nearby control sites, and analysed for the 16 PAHs on the USEPA priority pollutants list, as well as for two methyl substituted naphthalenes, 1-methylnaphthalene and 2-methylnaphthalene. PAH levels ranged from 41-8105 ng g-1 of dried soil in the samples from contaminated sites and were below detection limits in control site samples. PAH were detected in surface soils and had migrated to lower depths in the contaminated soil. The predominant PAH detected were naphthalene and its methyl derivatives.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban soils of Beijing: status, sources, distribution and potential risk

We studied the source, concentration, spatial distribution and health risk of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban soils of Beijing. The total mass concentration of 16 PAHs ranged from 93 to 13 141 μg kg⁻¹ with a mean of 1228 μg kg⁻¹. The contour map of soil PAH concentrations showed that the industrial zone, the historical Hutong district and the university district of Beijing have significantly higher concentrations than those in remainder of the city. The results of sources identification suggested that the primary sources of PAHs were vehicle exhaust and coal combustion and the secondary source was the atmospheric deposition of long-range transported PAHs. The incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) of exposing to PAHs in the urban soils of Beijing for adult were 1.77 × 10⁻⁶ and 2.48 × 10⁻⁵, respectively under normal and extreme conditions. For child, they were 8.87 × 10⁻⁷ and 6.72 × 10⁻⁶, respectively under normal and extreme conditions.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wastewater, WWTPs effluents and in the recipient waters of Beijing, China

In this study, surface water samples from the Wenyu River and the North Canal, effluent from major wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Beijing, and wastewater from open sewers that discharge directly into the river system were collected and analyzed for 16 priority USEPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Concentrations of these 16 PAHs ranged from 193 to 1790 ng/L in river surface waters, 245 to 404 ng/L in WWTP effluents, and 431 to 2860 ng/L in the wastewater from the small sewers. The WWTP effluent was the main contributor of dissolved PAHs to the river, while wastewater from the small sewers contributed both dissolved and suspended particulate matter-associated PAH to the river as indicated by the high dissolved organic carbon and suspended particulate matter contents in the wastewater. Although the flow from each open sewer was small, a PAH discharge as high as 44 kg/year could occur into the river from these types of sewers. This amount was equivalent to about 22 % of the PAH loads discharged into the North Canal downstream from Beijing, whereas the remainder was mainly released by the major WWTPs in Beijing.     

Organochlorine pesticides (DDTs and HCHs) in soils from the outskirts of Beijing, China

Concentrations of HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane) and DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) were determined in shallow subsurface (5-30 cm depth) and deep soil layers (150-180 cm depth) from the outskirts of Beijing, China. Concentrations of total HCHs (including alpha, beta, gamma, delta-isomers) and total DDTs (including p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDT) in shallow subsurface soils ranged from 1.36 to 56.61 ng/g dw (median 5.25 ng/g), and from 0.77 to 2178 ng/g (median 38.66 ng/g), respectively, and those in the deeper layers were approximately an order of magnitude less. The spatial distribution of HCHs and DDTs reflected the known historical usage of these pesticides. No correlation between the concentrations of pesticides and soil organic matter content or clay content can be found. The factors affecting residue levels and compositions of DDT and HCH were discussed. The contour maps of beta/gamma ratios and DDT/DDE ratios for both the shallow subsurface and deep layer soils were drawn.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon, and molecular markers in soils of Switzerland

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were analysed in 23 soil samples (0–10 cm layer) from the Swiss soil monitoring network (NABO) together with total organic carbon (TOC) and black carbon (BC) concentration, as well as some PAH source diagnostic ratios and molecular markers. The concentrations of the sum of 16 EPA priority PAHs ranged from 50 to 619 μg/kg dw. Concentrations increased from arable, permanent and pasture grassland, forest, to urban soils and were 21–89% lower than median numbers reported in the literature for similar Swiss and European soils. NABO soils contained BC in concentrations from 0.4 to 1.8 mg/g dw, except for two sites with markedly higher levels. These numbers corresponded to 1–6% of TOC and were comparable to the limited published BC data in soil and sediments obtained with comparable analytical methods. The various PAH ratios and molecular markers pointed to a domination of pyrogenically formed PAHs in Swiss soils. In concert, the gathered data suggest the following major findings: (1) gas phase PAHs (naphthalene to fluorene) were long-range transported, cold-condensated at higher altitudes, and approaching equilibrium with soil organic matter (OM); (2) (partially) particle-bound PAHs (phenanthrene to benzo[ghi]perylene) were mostly deposited regionally in urban areas, and not equilibrated with soil OM; (3) Diesel combustion appeared to be a major emission source of PAH and BC in urban areas; and (4) wood combustion might have contributed significantly to PAH burdens in some soils of remote/alpine (forest) sites.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of Liaodong Bay,Bohai Sea,China

Materials and methods  

The levels and possible sources of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in the surface sediments of Liaodong Bay, Bohai Sea, China.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediments of the South China Sea

Sixteen sediment samples, collected from the South China Sea, were analyzed for 11 parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Total concentrations of the 11 PAHs studied in the sediments ranged from 24.7 to 275.4 ng/g with a mean of 145.9 ng/g dry sediment. PAH concentrations displayed a consistent distribution trend with the sediment organic carbon content. The linear regression analysis showed that the total concentration of PAHs in the sediment was significantly correlated to the sediment organic carbon content with a correlation coefficient of 0.735 (n=16). Special PAH compound ratios, such as phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/pyrene, were calculated to evaluate the relative importance of different origins. The collected data showed that pyrolytic input from anthropogenic combustion processes was predominant at almost all the stations investigated. Only one station, located in the proximity of oil wells, appeared to be contaminated predominantly by petrogenic input. Three anthropogenic PAHs, i.e. pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[e]pyrene, exhibited similar distribution patterns in the studied area, implying that these compounds possess identical sources. However, perylene did not entirely follow the distribution trend of the three PAHs, suggesting that the sediment perylene probably derived from other sources such as in situ biogenic origins. Dibenzothiophene, a sulfur heterocyclic aromatic compound, was also measured in this study.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine organisms from the Adriatic Sea, Italy

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in bivalves (Mitylus galloprovincialis), cephalopods (Todarodes sagittatus), crustaceans (Nephrops norvegicus) and fish (Mullus barbatus, Scomber scombrus, Micromesistius poutassou, Merluccius merluccius) in several pools coming from the Central Adriatic Sea. These marine organisms were selected because of their multitude, wide distribution and common use in the Italian diet, they were sampled and analyzed during the year 2004. Acenaphthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene, benzo(ghi)perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene showed levels below the instrumental detection limit in all samples. Fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene were detected at different concentrations in analyzed samples. Chrysene was detected only in mussels with very low values (average 0.74ngg(-1) wet weight). PAHs composition pattern was dominated by the presence of PAHs with 3-rings (62%) followed from those with 4-rings (37%) and 5-rings (1%). Atlantic mackerel, European hake and blue whiting showed the highest PAH concentrations, ranging from 44.1 to 63.3ngg(-1) wet weight, the group of invertebrate organisms showed a level of contamination about three times lower than those of the vertebrate groups. Mediterranean mussels that did not present very high levels of contamination expressed as sum of PAHs showed one of the highest values of benzo(a)pyrene equivalents (BaPEs). Conversely the latter value was very low in Atlantic mackerel even if this species reported the highest total PAH concentrations. No significant correlation was observed between weight, length and trophic levels and total PAHs.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lake sediments from the High Tatras

European alpine lake systems are used as indicators of air quality over the continent. Preliminary data showed high polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) loads in the High Tatras (Eastern Europe) in comparison to other mountain regions. Here, insight on the spatial distribution of PAH is provided from analysis of top-core sediments of 27 alpine lakes distributed along the High Tatras.Top-core sediment concentrations were higher than those in deep-cores, and they were higher than those observed in other European high mountain regions. The PAH profiles were uniform and comparable to those observed in aerosols and snow, indicating that atmospheric deposition was the predominant PAH input pathway to the lakes. Good agreement between estimated atmospheric deposition and sedimentation fluxes was observed. However, in several lakes in the western range higher sediment fluxes may correspond to higher PAH depositions levels. The higher concentrations may also reflect inputs from potential emission source areas.     

Concentrations, sources and spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from Beijing, Tianjin and surrounding areas, North China

The concentrations, profiles, sources and spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in 40 surface soil samples collected from Beijing, Tianjin and surrounding areas, North China in 2007, and all sampling sites were far from industrial areas, roadsides and other pollution sources, and across a range of soil types in remote, rural villages and urban areas. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs ranged from 31.6 to 1475.0 ng/g, with an arithmetic average of 336.4 ng/g. The highest PAH concentrations were measured in urban soils, followed by rural village soils and soils from remote locations. The remote-rural village-urban PAH concentration gradient was related to population density, gross domestic product (GDP), long-range atmospheric transport and different types of land use. In addition, the PAH concentration was well correlated with the total organic carbon (TOC) concentration of the soil. The PAH profile suggested that coal combustion and biomass burning were primary PAH sources.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in solid residues from waste incineration

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) levels in solid residues from clinical waste incineration were measured using HPLC with fluorescence detection. PAH mass emission rates and emission rates as a function of waste burned are also reported. For bottom ash, PAH levels and physical properties were found to be quite consistent. Levels of high molecular mass PAHs were comparable to levels previously reported in the literature when adjusted for differences in sample preparation techniques. However, levels of low molecular mass PAHs were considerably elevated in this study. Possible reasons for this finding include the composition of the waste, combustion conditions and methods of sample preparation. In contrast, no PAHs were found in fly ash, an unexpected finding which is probably attributable to matrix effects resulting from a surfeit of lime in the fly ash. Factors effecting the partitioning of PAHs and their environmental fate are also discussed.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the bulk precipitation and surface waters of Northern Greece

Bulk (wet and dry) precipitation and surface water sampling was undertaken in the main plain of central Macedonia in Northern Greece. Fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) included in the US EPA's priority pollutant list were analysed. The concentrations determined in bulk precipitation were in general within the range of values worldwide reported. Concentrations were highest in the cold months. Deposition fluxes of PAHs were of the same order of magnitude as reported data. The greatest values were found when high concentrations of PAHs in precipitation coincided with large precipitation amounts. The concentrations of PAHs in surface waters (main rivers, tributaries, ditches, etc) were in general lower than those in bulk precipitation, and among the lowest reported for European rivers, excepting Np and Ph. Bulk deposition and domestic effluents are suggested as being the main PAH sources into surface waters.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Norwegian forest soils: impact of long range atmospheric transport

Levels of nine selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs, in surface soils from areas in southern and central Norway are presented. Levels in central Norway are generally low, while the southern Norway soils are about ten-fold higher with respect to 4 and 5 ring PAHs. Comparison with air quality data indicates long-range atmospheric transport to be the major source of the excess 4 and 5 ring PAHs in the south. Analyses of peat cores from ombrotrophic bogs support this assumption, and these provide a potentially useful approach for temporal studies of atmospheric PAH deposition. Analytical data for naphthalene in soils depend very much on the sampling and storage of the samples before analysis.     

Assessment of the bioaccessibility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from Beijing using an in vitro test

As an important human exposure pathway of contaminants, soil ingestion is of increasing concern for assessing health risk from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils. A wide range of total PAH concentrations ranging from 0.112 microg g(-1) to 27.8 microg g(-1) in soils collected from different public sites, including gas stations, roadsides, bus stops, a kindergarten, primary and middle schools, a university and residential area, was detected. In general, total PAHs concentrations in soils from traffic areas were significantly higher than that from the other sites, indicating a dominant contribution from motor vehicles. Physiologically based in vitro tests were used to evaluate the oral bioaccessibility of PAHs in surface soil under different land uses in Beijing regarding both gastric and small intestinal conditions. It was found that the oral bioaccessibility of total PAHs in small intestinal condition, ranging from 9.2% to 60.5% of total PAHs in soil, was significantly higher than gastric condition, ranging from 3.9% to 54.9%. The bioaccessibility of individual PAHs in soils generally decreased with the increasing ring number of PAHs in both gastric and small intestinal conditions. However, the ratio of bioaccessibility of individual PAHs in gastric condition to that in small intestinal condition, generally increased with increasing ring number, indicating the relatively pronounced effect of bile extract on improving bioaccessibility of PAHs with relatively high ring numbers characterized by their high K(ow) values. The observation that bile extract at a level higher than critical micelle concentration could reduce the surface tension of digestive juice substantially, which may cause PAHs to be available for intestinal absorption, calls for more careful establishment of reliable soil criteria for PAHs, especially concerning the health of children who may ingest a considerable amount of PAH-contaminated soil via outdoor hand-mouth activities.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage,mussels and tap water

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been determined in sewage discharge, mussels and tap water by glass capillary gas chromatography. Up to 30 PAH compounds have been identified. The concentration levels are low, respectively 0.8 – 7.7μg/1, 0.5–1.1 μg/g and 0.002 – 0.2μg/1 of sum PAH have been determined in sewage discharge, mussels and tap water. The accumulation rate in mussels seems to be rather slow at the ambient water concentrations.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their oxygen-containing derivatives (OPAHs) in soils from the Angren industrial area, Uzbekistan

We measured the concentrations and depth distribution (0-10, 10-20 cm) of 31 PAHs and 12 OPAHs in soils at eleven equidistant sampling points along a 20-km transect in the Angren industrial region (coal mine, power plant, rubber factory, gold mine), Uzbekistan to gain an insight into their concentrations, sources, and fate. Concentrations of all compounds were mostly much higher in the 0-10 cm than in the 10-20 cm layer except in disturbed soil close to the coal mine. Proximity to one of the industrial emitters was the main determinant of PAH and OPAH concentrations. The ∑31PAHs concentrations correlated positively with the ∑7 carbonyl-OPAH (r = 0.98, p < 0.01), ∑5 hydroxyl-OPAH (r = 0.72, p < 0.05), and with industrially emitted trace metals in the topsoil, identifying industrial emissions as their common source. Concentrations of several OPAHs were higher than their parent PAHs, but their vertical distribution in soil suggested only little higher mobility of OPAHs than their corresponding parent PAHs.     

Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and surface sediments from Daya Bay,China

Marine culture is thriving in China and represents a major component of the regional economy in coastal zones, yet the environmental quality of many of those areas has never been studied. This paper attempts to investigate the quality status of Daya Bay, a key aquaculture area in China. The levels of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in water and sediment samples of the bay. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs varied from 4228 to 29325 ng l(-1) in water, and from 115 to 1134 ng g(-1) dry weight in sediments. In comparison to many other marine systems studied, the PAH levels in Daya Bay waters were relatively high, and at six sites they were sufficiently high (> 10 microg l (-1)) to cause acute toxicity. The PAH composition pattern in sediments suggest dominance by medium to high molecular weight compounds, and the ratio of certain related PAHs indicate important pyrolytic and petrogenic sources. Further analysis showed that the distribution coefficient (KD) increased with the particular organic carbon content of sediments, consistent with the PAH partition theory. The organic carbon normalised distribution coefficient (K(oc)) also increased with the compounds' octanol/water partition coefficient (K(ow)), confirming the potential applicability of the linear free energy relationships in the modelling and prediction of PAH behaviour in marine environments.