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Distribution and Source Apportionment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Forest Soils from Urban to Rural Areas in the Pearl River Delta of Southern China

Author

Listed:
  • Yihua Xiao

    (Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China)

  • Fuchun Tong

    (College of Forestry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China)

  • Yuanwen Kuang

    (Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China)

  • Bufeng Chen

    (Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China)

Abstract

The upper layer of forest soils (0–20 cm depth) were collected from urban, suburban, and rural areas in the Pearl River Delta of Southern China to estimate the distribution and the possible sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Total concentrations of PAHs in the forest soils decreased significantly along the urban–suburban–rural gradient, indicating the influence of anthropogenic emissions on the PAH distribution in forest soils. High and low molecular weight PAHs dominated in the urban and rural forest soils, respectively, implying the difference in emission sources between the areas. The values of PAH isomeric diagnostic ratios indicated that forest soil PAHs were mainly originated from traffic emissions, mixed sources and coal/wood combustion in the urban, suburban and rural areas, respectively. Principal component analysis revealed that traffic emissions, coal burning and residential biomass combustion were the three primary contributors to forest soil PAHs in the Pearl River Delta. Long range transportation of PAHs via atmosphere from urban area might also impact the PAHs distribution in the forest soils of rural area.

Suggested Citation

  • Yihua Xiao & Fuchun Tong & Yuanwen Kuang & Bufeng Chen, 2014. "Distribution and Source Apportionment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Forest Soils from Urban to Rural Areas in the Pearl River Delta of Southern China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:11:y:2014:i:3:p:2642-2656:d:33632
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dongxiang Chen & Han Zhao & Jun Zhao & Zhenci Xu & Shaohua Wu, 2020. "Mapping the Finer-Scale Carcinogenic Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Urban Soil—A Case Study of Shenzhen City, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-13, September.
    2. Rongjie Li & Mingchao Cheng & Yang Cui & Qiusheng He & Xiaofang Guo & Laiguo Chen & Xinming Wang, 2020. "Distribution of the Soil PAHs and Health Risk Influenced by Coal Usage Processes in Taiyuan City, Northern China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Li Ji & Wenwen Li & Yuan Li & Qiusheng He & Yonghong Bi & Minghua Zhang & Guixiang Zhang & Xinming Wang, 2022. "Spatial Distribution, Potential Sources, and Health Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Surface Soils under Different Land-Use Covers of Shanxi Province, North China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, September.
    4. Haihua Jiao & Xiaoping Rui & Shanghua Wu & Zhihui Bai & Xuliang Zhuang & Zhanbin Huang, 2015. "Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Dagang Oilfield (China): Distribution, Sources, and Risk Assessment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-17, May.
    5. Haolong Cai & Siyu Yao & Jiahui Huang & Xiongkai Zheng & Jianteng Sun & Xueqin Tao & Guining Lu, 2022. "Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Pollution Characteristics in Agricultural Soils of the Pearl River Delta Region, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-13, December.

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