Distribution and deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons inprecipitation in Guangzhou, South China
HUANG Deyin , PENG Ping’an , XU Yigang , DENG Yunyun , DENG Hongmei
DOI:
Received June 09, 2008,Revised July 21, 2008, Accepted , Available online
Volume 21,2009,Pages 654-660
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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in precipitation from March to August 2005 in Guangzhou, South China.
Fourteen PAHs were studied, and their total concentrations varied from 616.6 to 3486.7 ng/L in dissolved phase and from 403.8
to 3125.5 ng/L in particulate phase. The estimated deposition loading of PAHs was 3568 g/m2 during the monitoring period.
The deposition of PAHs was a potential source for Pearl River comparing with the contents of surface water. In addition, the
high concentration in precipitation here implied that PAHs pollution was a potential environmental problem in Guangzhou. Most
precipitation concentrations of PAHs in March (the last month in winter in Guangzhou) were higher than in the other months (in rainy
season). PAHs inclined to be adsorbed to particulate phase with the increase of molecular weight in rainwater. Combustion of fossil
fuel and biomass might be the major source of PAHs, while the direct leakage or volatilization from petroleum products might be
insignificant.
