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Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in New York City community garden soils: Potential sources and influential factors
Author(s) -
MarquezBravo Lydia G.,
Briggs Dean,
Shayler Hannah,
McBride Murray,
Lopp Donna,
Stone Edie,
Ferenz Gretchen,
Bogdan Kenneth G.,
Mitchell Rebecca G.,
Spliethoff Henry M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.3215
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , soil water , environmental science , coal combustion products , deposition (geology) , chemistry , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon , carbon black , coal , sediment , geology , soil science , paleontology , natural rubber , organic chemistry
A total of 69 soil samples from 20 community gardens in New York City (New York, USA) were collected and analyzed for 23 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and black carbon. For each garden, samples were collected from nongrowing areas (non‐bed) and from vegetable‐growing beds, including beds with and without visible sources of PAHs. The sum of the US Environmental Protection Agency's 16 priority PAHs ranged up to 150 mg/kg, and the median (5.4 mg/kg) and mean (14.2 mg/kg) were similar to those previously reported for urban areas in the northeast United States. Isomer ratios indicated that the main sources of PAHs were petroleum, coal, and wood combustion. The PAH concentrations were significantly and positively associated with black carbon and with modeled air PAH concentrations, suggesting a consistent relationship between historical deposition of atmospheric carbon‐adsorbed PAHs and current PAH soil concentrations. Median PAH soil concentration from non‐bed areas was higher (7.4 mg/kg) than median concentration from beds in the same garden (4.0 mg/kg), and significantly higher than the median from beds without visible sources of PAHs (3.5 mg/kg). Median PAH concentration in beds from gardens with records of soil amendments was 58% lower compared with beds from gardens without those records. These results suggest that gardening practices in garden beds without visible sources of PAHs contribute to reduce PAH soil concentrations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:357–367. © 2015 SETAC