ZHOU Yan1, LU Xinwei1,2
(1. College of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China;
2. National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Geography (Shaanxi Normal University), Xi'an 710119, China)
Abstract: Pollution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface soils of educational area may have potential health impacts on students and staffs. To assess PAHs pollutions in educational areas of Xi'an, the source identification and risks assessment of PAHs in surface soils of educational areas of Xi'an were conducted. The concentrations of 16 priority PAHs defied by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in surface soils of 14 colleges in Xi'an were measured by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The results showed that the total PAHs concentration (∑PAHs) ranged from 0.290 to 4.147 μg/g with a mean of 1.515 μg/g; the concentration of 7 carcinogenic PAHs (Σ7CPAHs) ranged from 0.079 to 2.093 μg/g with a mean of 0.593 μg/g. Compared to those in other cities, the PAHs pollution in surface soils of educational areas in Xi'an were very serious, and the high molecular weight PAHs of 4 rings were predominated, accounted for 40.72% of ∑PAHs. The results showed that the PAHs in surface soils of educational areas in Xi'an originated mainly from the incomplete combustion of fuels, such as oil, coal and biomass and, in terms of the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCRs), the risks of PAHs exposure to local people in studied sites were acceptable, however, given serious pollutions of PAHs were found in 71.4% of soil samples, indirect exposure risks of PAHs in surface soils of educational areas in Xi'an should not be ignored.
Key words: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; surface soils; source; risk analysis; educational areas; Xi'an
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT Vol.46, No.4, Tot No.324, 2018, Page 381-387
