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Distribution, sources, and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments from Daya Bay, South China

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Abstract

In this study, the concentrations of 16 kinds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of Daya Bay were determined and analyzed. Results showed that 16 PAHs were detected in all the samples, and the total PAH concentration ranged from 70.18 to 128.04 ng g−1, with an average of 103.17 ng g−1. The cyclic number distribution of PAHs in the sediments was mainly 4 and 5 rings. Six classic PAH ratios named Ant/(Ant + Phe), Fla/(Fla + Pyr), [InP/(InP + BghiP)], [BaA/(BaA + Chr)], BaA/BghiP, and LMW/HMW, and principal component analyses showed that the main source of PAHs in this region was combustion (biomass, coal, and petroleum combustion), and the secondary source was petroleum. The ecological risk analysis of PAHs by using effect range low/median method and mean effects range-median quotient method showed that all of PAHs are lower than the effect range low (ERL) level and the effects range-median quotient (M-ERM-Q) value of all stations is 0.0027–0.0067, with an average value of 0.0046. Thus, it can be seen that PAHs are at a low-risk level in surface sediments of Daya Bay.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFC1404604), the Open Fund of Key Laboratory of Urban Land Resources Monitoring and Simulation, Ministry of Natural Resources (KF-2019-04-02), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China-Shandong Joint Funded Project (U1606404).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Bioresources and Environment Research Center, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, 266061, China

    Bin Han, Ang Liu, Qian Li & Li Zheng

  2. Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Bin Han & Li Zheng

  3. Key Laboratory of Urban Land Resources Monitoring and Simulation, MNR, Shenzhen, 518034, China

    Dongyang Cui

  4. Shenzhen Real Estate Assessment Research Center, Shenzhen, 518040, China

    Dongyang Cui

  5. College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science & Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China

    Ang Liu

Authors
  1. Bin Han
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  2. Dongyang Cui
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  3. Ang Liu
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  4. Qian Li
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  5. Li Zheng
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Contributions

Bin Han: methodology, writing—original draft

Dongyang Cui: resources

Ang Liu: formal analysis

Qian Li: sample preparation

Li Zheng: supervision

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bin Han.

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Responsible editor: Ester Heath

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Highlights

• PAHs concentration in the sediments of Daya Bay was moderate in the coastal sediments of Guangdong Province.

• Biomass, coal, and petroleum combustion were main sources of PAHs in sediments.

• Evaluation results of ERL, ERM, and M-ERM-Q showed that PAHs of Daya Bay were at a low-risk level.

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Han, B., Cui, D., Liu, A. et al. Distribution, sources, and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments from Daya Bay, South China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 25858–25865 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11956-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-11956-w

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