title: Distribution, sources, and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the water and suspended sediments from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China.
abstract: Samples were collected from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China, to study the concentrations, distributions, and compositions of 16 US-EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and suspended particulate matter (SPM). We also evaluated sources of the PAHs and their potential toxicity. Total concentrations of the PAHs (ΣPAHs) in water ranged from 17.33 to 77.12 ng L(-1), and in SPM, the levels ranged from 595.91 to 2473.74 ng g(-1). Total concentrations of seven carcinogenic PAHs (ΣCPAHs) ranged from 7.63 to 13.02 ng L(-1) in water and 276.55 to 1216.89 ng g(-1) in SPM. PAH levels in water samples were relatively low, and those in the lower reaches were higher than in the middle reaches. SPM samples had higher levels of PAHs, especially in the lower reaches and in Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake. Principal component analysis (PCA) with multiple linear regression analysis (MLR) was performed to quantitatively characterize the PAH sources. Two factors and their contributions were identified from water samples. Coal and wood combustion accounted for 74.1 % of the PAHs, and petroleum emissions explained 25.9 % of the PAHs. Three source factors were identified from SPM samples: these were vehicular emissions (46.3 % of PAHs), wood and coal combustion (40.4 % of PAHs), and petrogenic sources (13.3 %). Ecological risk assessment indicated that a moderate undesirable impact will be caused by PAHs, and some control measures and remedial actions should be conducted.
authors.affiliation: School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China.|Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
authors.forename: Chenglong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China. zouxq@nju.edu.cn.|Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. zouxq@nju.edu.cn.|Collaborative Innovation Center of South China Sea Studies, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China. zouxq@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China.|Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
authors.forename: Yifei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China.|Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
authors.forename: Baojie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China.|Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
authors.forename: Qiaochu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China.|Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Xianlin Avenue 163, Nanjing, 210023, China.|Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Coast and Island Development, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
authors.forename: Wenwen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D060106:Lakes / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Source apportionment; Surface water; Suspended particulate matter; The Yangtze River