Concentration and source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalic acid esters in the surface water of the Yangtze River Delta,China

• Published in: Journal of environmental sciences (China) 2012-02, Vol.24 (2), p.335-342
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lifei, Dong, Liang, Ren, Lijun, Shi, Shuangxin, Zhou, Li, Zhang, Ting, Huang, Yeru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: benzo(a)pyrene; Brackish; China; Combustion; Crude oil; diesel engines; environmental quality; Fresh Water - analysis; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; industry; Lakes; methylene chloride; monitoring; naphthalene; petroleum; phenanthrene; phthalates; phthalic acid esters; Phthalic Acids - analysis; Phthalic Acids - toxicity; plastics; Pollution abatement; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - toxicity; Principal Component Analysis; Risk Assessment; river deltas; Surface water; wastes; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Water pollution; Water Pollution - analysis; Yangtze River Delta; 中国; 地表水环境质量标准; 多环芳烃; 浓度范围; 源识别; 苯并[a]芘; 邻苯二甲酸酯; 长江三角洲地区
• ISSN: 1001-0742; 1878-7320
• DOI: 10.1016/s1001-0742(11)60782-1

The pollution from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in the surface water of the rapidly urbanized Yangtze River Delta region was investigated. Fourteen surface water samples were collected in June 2010. Water samples were liquid-liquid extracted using methylene chloride and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Concentrations of PAHs and PAEs ranged 12.9-638.1 ng/L and 61-28550 ng/L, respectively. Fluoranthene, naphthalene, pyrene, phenanthrene, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, and di-n-butyl phthalate were the most abundant compounds in the samples. The water samples were moderately polluted with benzo[a]pyrene according to China's environmental quality standard for surface water. The two highest concentrations of PAHs and PAEs occurred in samples from Taihu Lake, Wuxi City and the western section of Yangchenghu Lake. Potential sources of pollution at S7 were petroleum combustion and the plastics industry, and at Yangchenghu Lake were petroleum combustion and domestic waste. Pollution in samples from the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal originated from diesel engines. There were no obvious sources of pollution for the other water samples. These results can be used as reference levels for future monitoring programs of pollution from PAHs and PAEs.