title: Characteristic and potential sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-P-dioxins and dibenzofurans in agricultural soils in Beijing, China.
abstract: Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analyzed in 25 background and 80 agricultural soil samples collected from 21 sites in Beijing, China. The levels of PCDD/Fs in the north agricultural soils were low (0.15-0.58 ng international toxic equivalent quantity [I-TEQ]/kg), which were comparable with those of the background soils (0.091-0.35 ng I-TEQ/kg). In the southern agricultural soils, however, concentrations were several times higher (0.27-3.3 ng I-TEQ/kg). Comparison of PCDD/Fs congener compositions between possible sources and samples indicated that agricultural soils in Beijing had not been contaminated by the 3 main PCDD/F contamination sources in China--ferrous and nonferrous metal, waste incineration, and power generation. They had, however, been slightly contaminated by the impurities of some organochlorine pesticides, such as sodium pentachlorophenate, and by open burning of biomass, vehicle exhaust, atmospheric deposition, sediment, and sewage sludge. These results have been supported by the principal components analysis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of High-Performance Polymer, Qingdao University of Science & Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, China; Environmental Science Department, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China; Chemistry Department, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chaoqin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zuosheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zongwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis; D017745:Incineration; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004147:Dioxins; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C023614:dibenzofuran; C020887:dibenzo(1,4)dioxin
keywords: Agricultural soils; Beijing; Contamination source; Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)