Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils from a multi-industrial city, South Korea

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2014-02, Vol.470-471, p.1494-1501
• Main Authors: Kwon, Hye-Ok, Choi, Sung-Deuk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cities - statistics & numerical data; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Industry; PAHs; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Republic of Korea; Soil; Soil - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Source identification; Ulsan
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.08.031

We collected soil samples at 25 sites in Ulsan, Korea to investigate the levels, patterns, spatial distribution, and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the summer 2010. The target compounds were the 16 US-EPA priority PAHs. For the source identification of PAHs, diagnostic ratios and the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model were used. The total concentrations of PAHs ranged from 65ng/g to 12,000ng/g (mean: 960ng/g, median 330ng/g). The levels and distribution of PAHs indicated that industrial areas were more polluted than rural and urban areas. The diagnostic ratios suggested that the soil samples were contaminated by pyrogenic sources and traffic emission. According to the result of PMF, four factors were identified: gasoline and heavy oil combustion (14%), diesel combustion (54%), coke oven (23%), and coal/biomass burning (9%). Therefore, it was concluded that vehicles and industrial complexes were major sources of PAHs in Ulsan. •We collected soil samples at 25 sites in the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, Korea.•The levels, patterns, and spatial distribution of PAHs were investigated.•For source identification of PAHs, diagnostic ratios and the PMF model were used.•Industrial sites showed much higher levels of PAHs than rural and urban sites.•Industrial complexes and vehicles were major sources of PAHs in Ulsan.