Source Apportionment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediment by the Application of Non-Negative Factor Analysis: A Case Study of Dalian Bay

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Apr 16;15(4):761. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15040761.

Abstract

An improved method, factor analysis with non-negative constraints (FA-NNC) was adopted to apportion the sources of sediment polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Dalian Bay, China. Cosine similarity and Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis were used to assist the FA-NNC source resolution. The results identified three sources for PAHs, which were overall traffic, diesel engine emissions and residential coal combustion. The contributions of these sources were quantified as 78 ± 4.6% from overall traffic, 12 ± 3.2% from diesel engine emissions, and 10 ± 1.9% from residential coal combustion. The results from the Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis indicated that the model was robust and convergent.

Keywords: coastal area; organic pollutants; receptor model; statistical analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bays
  • China
  • Coal
  • Environmental Monitoring / statistics & numerical data*
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Geologic Sediments / analysis*
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
  • Power Plants
  • Vehicle Emissions
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

  • Coal
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
  • Vehicle Emissions
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical