Levels, sources and potential risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in multimedia environment along the Jinjiang River mainstream to Quanzhou Bay, China

Abstract

This study investigated the levels, sources and potential risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil, water (dissolved phase, suspended particulate matter) and sediment along the Jinjiang River mainstream to Quanzhou Bay. The distribution coefficient of ΣPAHs varied disorderly along the Jinjiang River, indicating the non-equilibrium status for the partition. The various distribution features of ΣPAHs in the sediments of the north and south coast of Quanzhou Bay were probably due to the flow motions in the bay. High correlations of PAHs were found between different media, suggesting the approximately same source of PAHs. Furthermore, three source factors and their contributions were extracted using the positive matrix factorization model. Toxicity and biological risk were assessed using toxic equivalent quantity and sediment quality guideline quotient. The contamination of PAHs in the soil and sediments may turn to unconspicuous risks for the environment and humans except very few sites with moderate pollution.

Keywords: Multimedia; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Positive matrix factorization (PMF); Quanzhou Bay; Sediment quality guideline quotient (SQGQ); Toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ).