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Temporal-spatial variation, source forensics of PAHs and their derivatives in sediment from Songhua River, Northeastern China

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Abstract

The distribution patterns and health risk assessment of nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs), hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs), and regular 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment from the Songhua River in northeastern China were investigated in this research. During dry seasons, concentrations of 16 USEPA priority PAHs, OH-PAHs, and NPAHs were extremely high, with average values of 1220 ± 288, 317 ± 641, 2.54 ± 3.98, and 12.2 ± 22.1 ng/g (dry weight, dw). The dry period level was confirmed to be 4 times greater than the wet period concentration. Modeling with positive matrix factorization (PMF) and estimation of diagnostic isomeric ratios were applied for identifying sources, according to the positive matrix factorization model: vehicle emissions (38.1%), biomass burning (25%), petroleum source (23.4%), and diesel engines source (13.5%) in wet season as well as wood combustion (44.1%), vehicle source (40.2%), coke oven (10.8%), and biomass burning (4.9%) in the dry season. The greatest seasonal variability was attributed to high molecular weight compounds (HMW PAHs). BaP was confirmed to be 81% carcinogenic in this study, which offers convincing proof of the escalating health issues.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Source composition profiles using PMF model and contributions of each source to the PAHs during a, c wet season and b, d dry season

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by an open project of the State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology (No. ESK202107) and Heilongjiang Cold Region Wetland Ecology and Environment Research Key Laboratory, Harbin University (No. KF202003). This research was also partially supported by Fundamental Scientific Research funds for Heilongjiang Provincial Institutes (CZKYF2021C006).

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RM, collected data, analyzed and drafted the manuscript; ZZ, supervised the work and approved the final version for publication, validation; YH and CJ both worked on data analysis and 3.5 part of the manuscript; ZH and WW worked on instrumental analysis; YL: supervision, the project administration and reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Zi-Feng Zhang.

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Mohammed, R., Zhang, ZF., Hu, YH. et al. Temporal-spatial variation, source forensics of PAHs and their derivatives in sediment from Songhua River, Northeastern China. Environ Geochem Health 44, 4031–4043 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-01106-7

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