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Levels and patterns of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils after forest fires in South Korea

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Abstract

Introduction

To investigate the influence of biomass burning on the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils, temporal trends and profiles of 16 US Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs were studied in soil and ash samples collected 1, 5, and 9 months after forest fires in South Korea.

Results and discussion

The levels of PAHs in the burnt soils 1 month after the forest fires (mean, 1,200 ng/g dry weight) were comparable with those of contaminated urban soils. However, 5 and 9 months after the forest fires, these levels decreased considerably to those of general forest soils (206 and 302 ng/g, respectively). The burnt soils and ash were characterized by higher levels of light PAHs with two to four rings, reflecting direct emissions from biomass burning. Five and 9 months after the forest fires, the presence of naphthalene decreased considerably, which indicates that light PAHs were rapidly volatilized or degraded from the burnt soils.

Conclusion

The temporal trend and pattern of PAHs clearly suggests that soils in the forest-fire region can be contaminated by PAHs directly emitted from biomass burning. However, the fire-affected soils can return to the pre-fire conditions over time through the washout and wind dissipation of the ash with high content of PAHs as well as vaporization or degradation of light PAHs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST) (no. 2010-0026716).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Biomass R&D Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehakno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea

    Eun Jung Kim

  2. School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 100, Banyeon-ri, Eonyang-eup, Ulsan, 689-798, Republic of Korea

    Sung-Deuk Choi

  3. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), San 31, Hyoja-dong, Nam-gu, Pohang, 790-784, Republic of Korea

    Yoon-Seok Chang

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  1. Eun Jung Kim
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  2. Sung-Deuk Choi
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  3. Yoon-Seok Chang
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Correspondence to Sung-Deuk Choi.

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Responsible editor: Euripides Stephanou

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Kim, E.J., Choi, SD. & Chang, YS. Levels and patterns of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils after forest fires in South Korea. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18, 1508–1517 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0515-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-011-0515-3

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