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Presence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Top Soils from Rural Terrains in Mexico City

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Abstract

A soil survey was carried out to determine the levels and sources and concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in 2 semi-rural terrains in Mexico City (Tlahuac and Milpa Alta) during 2008–2009. PAH determination was made by Soxhlet extraction and chromatographic clean-up with final analysis by gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The concentrations in Tlahuac were 9.13 mg/kg (dry season) and 11.22 mg/kg (wet season) and in Milpa Alta were 11.43 mg/kg (dry season) and 35.77 mg/kg (wet season). The variation of total PAH concentrations are due to environmental and anthropogenic conditions within Mexico City and also the addition of compost to the soils. According to Mexican regulations BaP, DaA, BbF and Ind were within the permissible limit (2 mg/kg) for agricultural and residential soils and BkF was close to the limit (8 mg/kg). The total PAH concentrations do however surpass the permissible European limit of 1,000 μg/kg and there is probably some risk to human health, in spite of measures aimed at decreasing contamination in Mexico City. Long term monitoring of soils will be necessary.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Metropolitan Autonomous University ‘‘Xochimilco’’ Campus. We thankful to Eduardo Villegas in his labour in laboratory and the producers that helped with your terrains in Tlahuac and Milpa Alta for good development of this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Análisis Instrumental, Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, Calzada del Hueso 1100. Colonia Villa Quietud, 04960, Coyoacán, México D.F., Mexico

    Rutilio Ortiz, Salvador Vega, Rey Gutiérrez, Beatriz Schettino & María de Lourdes Ramirez

  2. Institute of Agri-Food and Land Use School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK

    Richard Gibson

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  1. Rutilio Ortiz
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  2. Salvador Vega
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  3. Rey Gutiérrez
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  4. Richard Gibson
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  5. Beatriz Schettino
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  6. María de Lourdes Ramirez
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Correspondence to Rutilio Ortiz.

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Ortiz, R., Vega, S., Gutiérrez, R. et al. Presence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Top Soils from Rural Terrains in Mexico City. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88, 428–432 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-011-0434-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-011-0434-5

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