title: Occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Soan River, Pakistan: insights into distribution, composition, sources and ecological risk assessment.
abstract: Present study investigates the occurrence, distribution and sources of ∑17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the surface water of Soan River, Pakistan. The concentrations of total PAHs ranged from 61 to 207 ng/l. Low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs were recorded higher in concentrations (64.7 percent) as compared to high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs (35.6 percent). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed domestic and industrial wastewater discharge, vehicular exhaust, petroleum residues and biomass combustion as the main sources for PAHs contamination. Using the USEPA toxic equivalency factor (TEF) approach: Benzo(a)Pyrene and Dibenzo(a,h)Anthracene contributed highly carcinogenic exposure equivalent. The surface water of the Soan River is found to be slightly polluted with PAHs thereby posing health risks to aquatic bodies.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, 45320 Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Faiqa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: shahg14@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jabir Husain
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: r_n_malik2000@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Riffat Naseem
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) - FRAM High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, Hjalmar Johansens gt. 14, NO - 9296 Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsoyiannis
authors.affiliation: Environmental Biology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Adeel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Gan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Centre for Chemical Management, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D001551:Benz(a)Anthracenes / Q000032:analysis; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010154:Pakistan; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001551:Benz(a)Anthracenes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; C026486:1,2,5,6-dibenzanthracene
keywords: Ecological risk assessment; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Soan River; Source apportionment; Spatial distribution