Prediction of the bioaccumulation of PAHs in surface sediments of Bohai Sea, China and quantitative assessment of the related toxicity and health risk to humans

Jiafu Li; Han Dong; Xiang Xu; Bin Han; Xianguo Li; Chenjian Zhu; Chen Han; Shaopeng Liu; Dandan Yang; Qian Xu; Dahai Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.005

Prediction of the bioaccumulation of PAHs in surface sediments of Bohai Sea, China and quantitative assessment of the related toxicity and health risk to humans

Mar Pollut Bull. 2016 Mar 15;104(1-2):92-100. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.005. Epub 2016 Feb 6.

Authors

Jiafu Li¹, Han Dong², Xiang Xu³, Bin Han⁴, Xianguo Li⁵, Chenjian Zhu², Chen Han², Shaopeng Liu², Dandan Yang², Qian Xu², Dahai Zhang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. Electronic address: 1060828907@qq.com.
² Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
³ College of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao 266109, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266061, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. Electronic address: lixg@ouc.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China. Electronic address: dahaizhang@ouc.edu.cn.

PMID: 26856644
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.02.005

Abstract

Assessing the health risk of PAHs in sediments was quite difficult because sediment occurred in sea floor, and it was very hard to contact with them directly for humans. This study was attempted to reveal the relationship between concentrations of PAHs in surface sediments and health risk of seafood consumers. The transfer (bioaccumulation) of PAHs from surface sediment into benthic organisms was predicted. Source contributions to PAHs and related toxicity and health risks (from intake of PAHs-contaminated benthic organisms) were studied based on PMF model and Monte Carlo simulation, respectively. Total concentrations of PAHs (TPAHs) ranged from 149.40 to 1211.97 ng g(-1) in sediments of Bohai Sea (BS), China. Petroleum and vehicular emission, coal combustion and coke oven constituted 40.0%, 32.2% and 27.8% of PAHs, respectively, but contributed 53.0%, 22.8% and 24.2% of toxicity posed by PAHs in sediment. For children, teens and adults, the 95th percentile carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were below the threshold values of 10(-6) and 1.0, respectively, suggesting no potential health risk. Sensitivity analysis suggested that exposure duration (ED) and PAH concentrations (CS) were the two most sensitive parameters in risk assessment. The results provided a method to evaluate the quality of sediments and the potential health risk related to PAHs in marine sediments.

Keywords: Bioaccumulation; Bohai Sea; Health risk; Monte Carlo simulation; PAHs; Sources.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China
Coal / analysis
Environmental Exposure / analysis*
Environmental Exposure / statistics & numerical data
Environmental Monitoring
Geologic Sediments / chemistry
Humans
Models, Theoretical
Petroleum / analysis
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
Risk Assessment
Vehicle Emissions / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Coal
Petroleum
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Vehicle Emissions
Water Pollutants, Chemical