Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Yellow River estuary: Levels, sources and toxic potency assessment

This paper presents a systematic but preliminary study on the levels, sources and risk of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Yellow River estuary by examining 16 priority PAHs listed by the U.S. EPA in four main environmental media (soil, surface water, groundwater and sediment). The concentration of individual PAHs in each medium in the study area was compared with the reported PAH values in China and abroad and to related environmental quality standards. The pollution levels of PAHs were found to be moderate in the soil and sediment, and low in the surface water and groundwater. Wood, coal combustion and petroleum inputs are the main PAH sources in soil and sediment, while petroleum inputs and petroleum combustion are the main PAH sources in surface water and groundwater. This indicates that PAH input caused by the high-speed inflow of external water over a long time has made a definite contribution to the occurrence of PAHs in surface water and groundwater in the study area. Furthermore, the mean value of the sum of the Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (∑ELCR) exposure to PAHs in all media exceeded the generally acceptable risk level of 1.0E−06 recommended by the USEPA for carcinogenic chemicals, and the relative proportion contributed by DBA to the ∑ELCR was the greatest. •The first survey of multi-environment PAHs in the Yellow River Delta was conducted.•Irrigation projects impact the regional hydrological cycle and thus the PAH distribution in surface water and groundwater.•The different distributions of PAHs in water bodies and soil indicate the contribution of PAHs input from external water.•∑ELCR in all media exceeded the generally acceptable risk level.