Elevated Urbanization-driven Plant Accumulation and Human Intake Risks of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Crops of Peri-urban Farmlands

Abstract As a ubiquitous carcinogen, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are closely related to anthropogenic activities. The process of urbanization leads to the spatial interlacing of farmlands and urbanized zones. However, field evidence on the influence of urbanization on the accumulation of PAHs in crops of peri-urban farmlands is lacking. This study comparatively investigated the urbanization-driven levels, compositions, and sources of PAHs in 120 paired plant and soil samples collected from the Yangtze River Delta in China and their species-specific human intake risks. The concentrations of PAHs in crops and soils in the peri-urban areas were 2407.92 ng g−1 and 546.64 ng g−1, respectively, which are significantly higher than those in the rural areas. The PAHs in the root were highly relevant to those in the soils (R2 = 0.63, p < 0.01), and the root bioconcentration factors were higher than 1.0, implying the contributions of root uptake to plant accumulations. However, the translocation factors in the peri-urban areas (1.57 ± 0.33) were higher than those in the rural areas (1.19 ± 0.14), indicating the enhanced influence through gaseous absorption. For the congeners, the 2- to 3-ring PAHs showed a higher plant accumulation potential than the 4- to 6-ring PAHs. Principal component and source analyses show that the PAHs in the peri-urban plants predominantly resulted from urbanization parameters, such as coal combustion, vehicle emissions, and biomass burning. The mean values of estimated dietary intake of PAHs from the consumption of peri-urban and rural crops were 9116 ng d−1 and 6601.83 ng d−1, respectively. The intake risks of different crops followed the order rice > cabbage > carrot > pea. Given the significant input of PAHs from urban to farmland, the influence of many anthropogenic pollutants arising from rapid urbanization should be considered when assessing the agricultural food safety.

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Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments/Soils of the Rapidly Urbanized Lower Reaches of the River Chaohu, China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16132302 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (13) ◽

pp. 2302 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Wu ◽

Sun ◽

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Surface Soil ◽

Chaohu Lake ◽

Agricultural Lands ◽

Rapid Urbanization ◽

Riverine Wetlands ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

The Impact

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are highly teratogenic, persistent carcinogens, and ubiquitous environmental pollutants. To determine the impact of rapid urbanization on sediment/soil PAHs, we collected 30 cm soil cores in ditch wetlands, riverine wetlands, and agricultural lands along the lower reaches of the Shiwuli River feeding Chaohu Lake, China. Ecological risk effects were evaluated by two models based upon Benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalency (TEQ-BaP) and total toxic units (TUs). The presence of PAHs, such as BbF, BkF, InP, and BgP, that are known pollutants of concern, suggests certain ecological risks. The concentration of PAHs in the surface layer followed in the order of: ditch wetlands (617.2 ng/g average), riverine wetlands (282.1 ng/g average), agricultural lands (103.7 ng/g average). PAHs in ditch sediments were vertically distributed evenly, and PAHs in agricultural soils were concentrated in the surface soil. In riverine wetland sediments, the 2-, 3-, and 4-ring PAHs had a uniform distribution, whereas the 5- and 6-ring PAHs were concentrated in the surface soil. Redundancy analysis (RDA) explored the correlation between the environmental properties and the occurrence of PAHs. Total organic carbon (p = 0.010), percent clay (p = 0.020), and distance (p = 0.020) were the primary factors in ditch wetlands. Depth (p = 0.010) and distance (p = 0.006) were the main factors in agricultural lands. There were no significant correlations in riverine wetlands. The correlation between the distance from the built-up urban areas and pollutant concentration showed that the closer the distance, the greater the concentration of PAHs.

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Exposure to Atmospheric Particulate Matter-Bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Health Effects: A Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18042177 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 2177

Author(s):

Lu Yang ◽

Hao Zhang ◽

Xuan Zhang ◽

Wanli Xing ◽

Yan Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Particulate Matter ◽

Real Time ◽

Health Effects ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Personal Exposure ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Atmospheric Particulate Matter ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic

Particulate matter (PM) is a major factor contributing to air quality deterioration that enters the atmosphere as a consequence of various natural and anthropogenic activities. In PM, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent a class of organic chemicals with at least two aromatic rings that are mainly directly emitted via the incomplete combustion of various organic materials. Numerous toxicological and epidemiological studies have proven adverse links between exposure to particulate matter-bound (PM-bound) PAHs and human health due to their carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Among human exposure routes, inhalation is the main pathway regarding PM-bound PAHs in the atmosphere. Moreover, the concentrations of PM-bound PAHs differ among people, microenvironments and areas. Hence, understanding the behaviour of PM-bound PAHs in the atmosphere is crucial. However, because current techniques hardly monitor PAHs in real-time, timely feedback on PAHs including the characteristics of their concentration and composition, is not obtained via real-time analysis methods. Therefore, in this review, we summarize personal exposure, and indoor and outdoor PM-bound PAH concentrations for different participants, spaces, and cities worldwide in recent years. The main aims are to clarify the characteristics of PM-bound PAHs under different exposure conditions, in addition to the health effects and assessment methods of PAHs.

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Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in Atmospheric Particles (PM2.5 and PM2.5–10): Integrated Evaluation of the Environmental Scenario in Urban Areas

Water Air & Soil Pollution ◽

10.1007/s11270-020-04967-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 232 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alessa Maria Ceratti ◽

Gustavo Marques da Costa ◽

Darlan Daniel Alves ◽

Laura Meneguzzi Cansi ◽

Jessica Hansen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Atmospheric Particles ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic

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Diet, exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during pregnancy, and fetal growth: A comparative study of mothers and their fetuses in industrial and urban areas in Southwest Iran

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116668 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 276 ◽

pp. 116668

Author(s):

Atefeh Khalili Doroodzani ◽

Sina Dobaradaran ◽

Razegheh Akhbarizadeh ◽

Alireza Raeisi ◽

Elham Rahmani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Comparative Study ◽

Fetal Growth ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

Southwest Iran ◽

Diet Exposure

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Source Identification and Ecological Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils and Groundwater

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S ◽

10.2478/eces-2021-0024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 355-363

Author(s):

Predrag Ilić ◽

Svetlana Ilić ◽

Dragana Nešković Markić ◽

Ljiljana Stojanović Bjelić ◽

Zia Ur Rahman Farooqi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Ecological Risk ◽

Aromatic Hydrocarbons ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Industrial Complex ◽

Industrial Emissions ◽

Mean Values ◽

Polycyclic Aromatic ◽

Banja Luka

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed from anthropogenic activities, i.e. industrial emissions, incomplete combustion of petroleum, coal and other fossil fuels and other industrial and domestic activities. Research areas of this study are four representative locations in the industrial complex, in the city of Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main objective of the paper is to determine the ecological risk and to assess probable sources of PAHs contamination in soil and groundwater. The results of this study reflect the effects of coal combustion (pyrogenic origin), petrogenic and biomass origin and may provide basic data for the remediation of PAHs in the location. The ecological risk in soil (at depths of 30, 100, 200, 300 and 400 cm) and groundwater is determined. The mean values of ecological risk in soil and groundwater decreased with soil depth. Values of RQ(NCs) for groundwater were found at high ecological risk, for Ant, Chr, DahA, Acy, Pyr, BaA, Phe, Flo, Nap, Ace and Fluo, with values 28.57, 20.59, 300.00, 242.86, 185.71, 1700.0, 76.67, 53.33, 15.83, 100.00 and 57.14, respectively. ∑16PAH indicated high ecological risk for most PAHs, which decreased with soil depth. The value of RQ(NCs) for ΣPAHs in groundwater indicates high ecological risk (ΣPAHs ≥ 800 and RQ(MPCs) ≥ 1). This is the first study on the ecological risk of PAHs in soil and groundwater in industrial soils in Banja Luka and provides baseline information for further studies and additional investigations of this industrial complex.

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