Occurrence, Sources, and Potential Toxicity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Soils from the Yellow River Delta Natural Reserve, China

Abstract

A total of 46 surface soil samples collected from the experimental area, buffer area, and core area of the Yellow River Delta Natural Reserve (YRDNR), China, and an adjacent area outside the reserve were analyzed for 23 PAHs including highly carcinogenic dibenzopyrene isomers. The total concentrations ranged from 87.2 to 319 ng/g for ∑23PAHs and 79.2 to 311 ng/g for ∑16PAHs with average concentrations of 133 and 119 ng/g, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis implied that the total polycyclic aromatic compound (PAH) concentrations had a significant positive correlation with the total organic carbon content on the condition that four sites with abnormal values were removed. Low molecular-weight 2- to 3-ring PAHs predominated in the present study. Source diagnostics based on PAHs isomer ratios, principal component analysis, and multiple linear regression suggested that petroleum contributed most to the PAH contamination in the YRDNR, whereas a potential toxicity assessment using BaPeq indicated that the four dibenzopyrenes were the major carcinogenic PAH contributors in the area under investigation, although their concentrations only represented a small proportion of the total PAH concentrations.

Characteristics, Source and Risk Assessment of Soil Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons around Oil Wells in the Yellow River Delta, China

“…In 2009, the concentration of PAHs in the samples varied greatly, ranging from 2.6 to 8275.46 ng/g, with an average of 1744.41 ng/g, according to the analysis of surface soil samples collected by the research group in the YRD (Table 3). Compared with ΣPAH 16 concentrations in the YRD studied in other years, such as Yuan et al ng/g, with an average of 118 ± 132 ng/g) [29]; Yuan et al (79.2-311 ng/g, with an average of 119 ng/g) [30]; and Fu et al (278.7-733.5 ng/g, with an average of 382.5 ± 128.4 ng/g) [15], PAH concentrations in soil samples investigated in 2009 were higher on average. Among soil samples, four samples exceeded the mean value, accounting for 26.67% of total soil samples, and eleven samples were below the mean value, accounting for 73.33% of total soil samples.…”

“…According to the study of PAH pollution in the soil around oil wells in the Yellow River Delta in other years, the PAH concentration decreased with the increase in years, which indicates that the PAH pollution has been effectively managed [15,32] (Table 5). From the perspective of spatial distribution, the PAH concentration in the soil of the northern oil field area of the Yellow River Delta is higher than that in the southern area of the Yellow River, the Yellow River estuary and the former route [29,30]. Among them, four samples exceeded the mean value, accounting for 26.67% of total soil samples, and eleven samples were below the mean value, accounting for 73.33% of total soil samples.…”

Distributions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Coal in China

“…For the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content in coal, samples were pretreated through the microwave-assisted solvent extraction method (MASE) described by Yuan [35]. NaP-d 8 , Chry-d 12 , and Ph-d 10 were added to 20 g of coal samples.…”

Binding interaction of a ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase with fluoranthene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa DN1

“…Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have troubled various ecosystems because of their prolonged persistence, potential mutagenic and carcinogenic properties 1 , 2 . High molecular weight PAHs containing four or more fused aromatic nucleus have attracted widespread attention since they are recalcitrant in the environment 3 , 4 . Among those, fluoranthene with four fused aromatic nucleus was commonly acted as a model compound of HMW PAHs for biodegradation researches in view of its structural similarity with other carcinogenic HMW PAHs 5 – 7 .…”