Toxicity evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils of coal chemical industry areas, North China

Objectives of this study were to investigate the concentrations, distributions, toxicities, and risk assessment of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface soils surrounding a coal chemical industrial zone in the southeast of Shanxi province, China. A total of 52 topsoil samples were collected from different land-use areas: cereal agriculture, roadsides, and parkland. Results show that the total PAHs (∑ 16 PAHs) ranged from 3.87 × 10 3 to 116 × 10 3 µg kg −1 and that the total carcinogenicity PAHs (∑BPAHs) ranged from 3.11 × 10 3 to 94.2 × 10 3 µg kg −1 , with the highest concentration of ∑ 16 PAHs noted in the RS samples, followed by PS and AS. The entire risk quotient of all PAH maximum permissible concentrations (RQ∑PAH MPCi ) was greater than 1.0, and the minimum concentration entire risk quotient (RQ∑PAH NCi ) of 84.3% of all samples was higher than 800. The value of the total toxicity equivalent concentration of PAH (PAHBapeq) for areas surrounding the coal chemical industrial zone was higher than the value of the standard level, and the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) far exceeds the U.S. EPA’s risk standard. The toxic properties of PAHs indicated that the soils in the survey areas have a high risk to human health and the environment. Graphical abstract