title: Assessment of PAHs in soil around the International Airport in Delhi, India.
abstract: Present study was undertaken to determine the level of PAH contamination due to jet turbine exhaust in the peripheral soil of the International Airport in Delhi, India. Densely populated residential areas surrounding the airport come directly under both the landing and take-off flight paths. Twelve priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in the <2 mm surface soil fraction. Identification and quantification of PAHs was done by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The sum of 12 PAHs ranged from 2.39 microg g(-1) to 7.53 microg g(-1) with a mean concentration of 4.43+/-1.45 microg g(-1). PAH levels observed in the present study were found to be higher as compared to most of the literature values. Among the three sampling sites selected around the International Airport, the site near landing point revealed maximum concentration of PAHs, while minimum concentration was observed at the site near take-off point. Predominance of pyrene was observed in the airport soil. Factor analysis and isomer pair ratios suggest pyrogenic origin of PAHs in the study area.
authors.affiliation: Pollution Monitoring Laboratory, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sharmila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Khillare
authors.forename: Tripti
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shridhar
mesh_terms: D001359:Aviation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D007194:India; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D011083:Polycyclic Compounds; D012989:Soil Pollutants