title: Relationship between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and particle size in dated core sediments in Lake Lianhuan, Northeast China.
abstract: Atmospheric particle associated with pyrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) poses serious threats to human health by inhalation exposure, especially in semiarid areas. Hence, the distributions of PAHs and particle size in two core sediments collected from Lake Lianhuan, Northeast China were studied. The sediments were dated radiometrically, and particle size distribution and PAH concentration were evaluated and potential human health risk was assessed. From 1980 to 2007, the dominant PAHs in the two cores were 2- and 3-ring PAHs, and the concentrations of 3-6 ring PAHs gradually increased from the early 1990s. Diagnostic ratios indicated that pyrogenic PAHs were the main sources of PAHs which changed over time from combustions of wood and coal to liquid fossil fuel sources. Fine particles (<65 μm) were the predominant particle size (56-97%). Lacustrine source (with the peak towards 200-400 μm) and eolian sources derived from short (2.0-10 and 30-65 μm) and long (0.4-1.0 μm) distance suspension were indentified from frequency distribution pattern of particle size. Significant correlations between 3-6 ring PAHs (especially carcinogenic 5-6 ring PAHs) and 10-35 μm particulate fractions indicated that eolian particles played an important role in adsorbing pyrogenic PAHs. Petroleum source of PAHs was only identified during the 1980s in one core sediments, in which positive correlations between 2-ring PAHs and particulate fractions of >125 μm were found. Future research should focus on the seven carcinogenic pyrogenic PAHs due to a rapidly increasing trend since 1995 based on the assessment of toxic equivalency factors.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Monitoring of Geographic Environment, College of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin Normal University, No. 1 South Shida Road, Limin Economic Development Zone, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150025, PR China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Shuying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zang
mesh_terms: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000266:history* / Q000633:toxicity; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D060106:Lakes; D010316:Particle Size; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma
chemical_list: D002588:Cesium Radioisotopes; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
keywords: Lake sediment core; Particle size distribution; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Source apportionment