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Distribution, Seasonal Variations and Ecological Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Foliar Dust of Nanjing, China

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Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of concern for both ecosystem and human health due to their potential teratogenic, carcinogenic, and mutagenic properties. The concentration of ∑16PAHs in foliar dust ranged from 49.4 to 19,018.1 µg kg−1, with a mean value of 7074.5 µg kg−1. There were significant seasonal variations in the concentration of ∑16PAHs, with the concentration in winter being almost twice as high as in summer. Similarly, the differences between PAH profiles in different seasons indicated that they had common sources, which were attributed to the combined effect of regional transport and local emissions. The diagnostic ratios of indicator compounds indicated that PAHs detected in foliar dust originated from a mixture of gasoline vehicle emissions, biomass, and coal combustion in Nanjing. According to the ecological risk classification of ∑16PAHs, the ecological risk caused by PAHs was high since the value of RQ∑16PAHs(MPCs) was ≥ 1 and RQ∑16PAHs(NCs) were ≥ 800. The mean values for RQ∑16PAHs(MPCs) and RQ∑16PAHs(NCs) were 14.8 and 2368.9, which indicated a relatively high ecological risks of PAHs in foliar dust in Nanjing.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Natural Science Major Projects in Jiangsu Province Colleges and Universities (No. 13KJA180002) and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Province Higher Education Institutions (PAPD). The Doctorate Fellowship Foundation of Nanjing Forestry University is gratefully acknowledged (2149025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Ecological Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China

    Yan Zha & Yinlong Zhang

  2. Faculty of Natural Resources Management, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, P785E1, Canada

    Zilong Ma

  3. School of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, China

    Jie Tang & Kai Sun

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  1. Yan Zha
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  2. Yinlong Zhang
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  3. Zilong Ma
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  4. Jie Tang
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  5. Kai Sun
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Correspondence to Yinlong Zhang.

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Zha, Y., Zhang, Y., Ma, Z. et al. Distribution, Seasonal Variations and Ecological Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Foliar Dust of Nanjing, China. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 100, 560–569 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-018-2287-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-018-2287-7

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