title: Climate change impact on the PAH photodegradation in soils: Characterization and metabolites identification.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are airborne pollutants that are deposited on soils. As climate change is already altering temperature and solar radiation, the global warming is suggested to impact the environmental fate of PAHs. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of climate change on the PAH photodegradation in soils. Samples of Mediterranean soils were subjected to different temperature and light radiation conditions in a climate chamber. Two climate scenarios were considered according to IPCC projections: 1) a base (B) scenario, being temperature and light intensity 20°C and 9.6W/m(2), respectively, and 2) a climate change (CC) scenario, working at 24°C and 24W/m(2), respectively. As expected, low molecular weight PAHs were rapidly volatilized when increasing both temperature and light intensity. In contrast, medium and high molecular weight PAHs presented different photodegradation rates in soils with different texture, which was likely related to the amount of photocatalysts contained in both soils. In turn, the hydrogen isotopic composition of some of the PAHs under study was also investigated to verify any degradation process. Hydrogen isotopes confirmed that benzo(a)pyrene is degraded in both B and CC scenarios, not only under light but also in the darkness, revealing unknown degradation processes occurring when light is lacking. Potential generation pathways of PAH photodegradation by-products were also suggested, being a higher number of metabolites formed in the CC scenario. Consequently, in a more or less near future, although humans might be less exposed to PAHs, they could be exposed to new metabolites of these pollutants, which might be even more toxic.
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç, 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors: Montse
authors: M
authors: Marquès
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç, 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors: Montse
authors: M
authors: Mari
authors: Grup de Mineralogia Aplicada i Geoquímica de Fluids, Departament de Cristal·lografia, Mineralogia i Dipòsits Minerals, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Carme
authors: C
authors: Audí-Miró
authors: Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain; Laboratory of Soil Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors: Jordi
authors: J
authors: Sierra
authors: Grup de Mineralogia Aplicada i Geoquímica de Fluids, Departament de Cristal·lografia, Mineralogia i Dipòsits Minerals, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Martí i Franquès s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Soler
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç, 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: marti.nadal@urv.cat.
authors: Martí
authors: M
authors: Nadal
authors: Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç, 21, 43201 Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
authors: José L
authors: JL
authors: Domingo
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D057231:Climate Change; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010782:Photolysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: Climate change; Hydrogen isotopes; Metabolites; Photodegradation; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)