title: Source Apportionment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Central European Soils with Compound-Specific Triple Isotopes (δ(13)C, Δ(14)C, and δ(2)H).
abstract: This paper reports the first study applying a triple-isotope approach for source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The (13)C/(12)C, (14)C/(12)C, and (2)H/(1)H isotope ratios of PAHs were determined in forest soils from mountainous areas of the Czech Republic, European Union. Statistical modeling applying a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) framework to the environmental triple isotope PAH data and an end-member PAH isotope database allowed comprehensive accounting of uncertainties and quantitative constraints on the PAH sources among biomass combustion, liquid fossil fuel combustion, and coal combustion at low and high temperatures. The results suggest that PAHs in this central European region had a clear predominance of coal combustion sources (75 ± 6%; uncertainties represent 1 SD), mainly coal pyrolysis at low temperature (∼650 °C; 61 ± 8%). Combustion of liquid fossil fuels and biomass represented 16 ± 3 and 9 ± 3% of the total PAH burden (∑PAH14), respectively. Although some soils were located close to potential PAH point sources, the source distribution was within a narrow range throughout the region. These observation-based top-down constraints on sources of environmental PAHs provide a reference for both improved bottom-up emission inventories and guidance for efforts to mitigate PAH emissions.
authors.affiliation: †Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: †Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: August
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: †Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kruså
authors.affiliation: †Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandh
authors.affiliation: ‡Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hovorková
authors.affiliation: ‡Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klánová
authors.affiliation: §School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS Avon, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Timothy D J
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.affiliation: §School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS Avon, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Pancost
authors.affiliation: §School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TS Avon, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Evershed
authors.affiliation: †Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Örjan
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Gustafsson
mesh_terms: D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003198:Computer Simulation; D018153:Czech Republic; D003903:Deuterium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005843:Geography; D008390:Markov Chains; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D003903:Deuterium