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Application of spatial analysis and multivariate analysis techniques in distribution and source study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the topsoil of Beijing, China

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

Surface soil samples were collected from 161 sites throughout the downtown and suburban area of Beijing, China. The samples were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations. Through Kriging analysis, five heavily contaminated zones were identified in the study area. Sources of PAHs in the soil were apportioned using principal factor analysis and multiple linear regression. Three factors were identified representing coal combustion/vehicle emission, coking emission, and petroleum sources, respectively. The relative contributions of the three sources were 48% for coal/vehicle emission, 28% for coking emission, and 24% for petroleum sources. The contributions of total PAHs from the three sources were 16.4, 4.63 and 3.70ng g−1, respectively. Spatial analysis indicated that the contribution of coal/vehicle sources was higher in the downtown area than in the suburban area, the petroleum sources had a high contribution in the urban area, and the contribution of coking sources was high in the suburban area. The results indicated that PAH contamination in the surface soil in Beijing was closely related to the spatial characteristics of energy consumption and functional zoning. Improvement of the energy consumption structure and relocation of industries with heavy pollution are effective ways to control PAH contamination in surface soil in the area.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Key MOE Research Project (Grant 306019), National Scientific Foundation of China (Grant 40525003), and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant 2003CB15004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Kaiyan Wang, Yating Shen, Shucai Zhang, Youbin Ye, Qiong Shen, Jundong Hu & Xuejun Wang

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  1. Kaiyan Wang
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  2. Yating Shen
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  3. Shucai Zhang
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  4. Youbin Ye
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  5. Qiong Shen
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  6. Jundong Hu
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  7. Xuejun Wang
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Correspondence to Xuejun Wang.

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Wang, K., Shen, Y., Zhang, S. et al. Application of spatial analysis and multivariate analysis techniques in distribution and source study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the topsoil of Beijing, China. Environ Geol 56, 1041–1050 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1204-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-008-1204-5

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