Modeling the fate of benzo[a]pyrene in the wastewater-irrigated areas of Tianjin with a fugacity model

J Environ Qual. 2002 May-Jun;31(3):896-903. doi: 10.2134/jeq2002.8960.

Abstract

A Level III fugacity model was applied to characterize the transfer processes and environmental fate of benzo[a]pyrene in wastewater-irrigated areas of Tianjin, China. The physical-chemical properties and transfer parameters of benzo[a]pyrene were used in the model and the concentration distribution of benzo[a]pyrene in sediment, soil, water, air, fish, and crop compartments, as well as transfer fluxes across the compartments, were then derived under steady-state assumptions. The calculated results were compared with monitoring data for air, soil, water, and sediment collected from the literature. The results indicate that there was generally good agreement and the differences were within an order of magnitude for air, soil, and sediment. The concentration of benzo[a]pyrene in the ambient air in the area was very low with a majority present sorbed to aerosol. In the water compartment, approximately 70% of benzo[a]pyrene dissolved in water phase. Relatively high concentrations of the compound were found in the soil and sediment, with the soil serving as the dominant sink in the area. Benzo[a]pyrene, with a slow metabolic rate, was found to accumulate in fish in the area.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols
  • Air Pollutants / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Benzo(a)pyrene / chemistry*
  • Crops, Agricultural / chemistry
  • Diffusion
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods
  • Environmental Pollutants / analysis
  • Fishes / metabolism
  • Geologic Sediments / chemistry
  • Hazardous Waste / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Soil / analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Air Pollutants
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Soil
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Benzo(a)pyrene