Soil pollution by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: a comparison of two Chinese cities

Soil samples from Huizhou and Zhanjiang, China were analyzed for 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with harmonized sampling, sample extraction and analysis quantification methods. The concentrations and sources of PAHs in soil samples of the two cities were compared. Almost all of the PAH components were detectable in 103 soil samples. The concentrations of sigmaPAHs ranged from 35.40 to 534.5 microg/kg in soil samples from Huizhou, and ranged from 9.50 to 6618.00 microg/kg in samples from Zhanjiang. Evident differences of concentrations, compositions and sources of PAHs in soils were observed between the two cities. The average concentrations of individual component and the sum of a group of PAHs in soil samples from Zhanjiang were significantly higher than those in Huizhou (P < 0.05). Phe, Flu, Pyr, Bbf and Baa were the dominant PAH components both in soil samples from Huizhou and Zhanjiang. Except for these five components, Bap, I1p, Daa and Bgp were also the dominant PAH components in soil samples from Zhanjiang. Coal combustion and liquid fossil fuel combustion were the same sources of PAHs in the two cities with different contributions, and petroleum played a key role in PAHs release in Zhanjiang.