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Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rural soils based on mass balances at the catchment scale
Author(s) -
Gocht Tilman,
Ligouis Bertrand,
Hinderer Matthias,
Grathwohl Peter
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.1897/06-287r.1
Subject(s) - environmental chemistry , soil water , environmental science , deposition (geology) , pollutant , pollution , chemistry , soil science , sediment , geology , ecology , paleontology , organic chemistry , biology
Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are hydrophobic organic pollutants that are ubiquitously distributed in the environment at relatively high concentrations. In our study we investigated the long‐term fate of atmospheric PAHs in soils of rural areas, resulting from diffuse pollution based on mass balances at the catchment scale. By determining PAHs in several environmental compartments, estimates of soil storages and water fluxes were made and compared with atmospheric deposition. The results indicate that more than 90% of the incoming PAHs remain in the catchments and accumulate in the topsoils. Furthermore, revolatilization of PAHs from soils and degradation in the soils is very limited, resulting in ongoing accumulation in topsoils, in particular for low‐volatile PAHs. Combustion‐derived carbonaceous particles were detected in atmospheric deposition as well as in the soil samples. Since these particles are very strong adsorbents, they are suspected to play a key role in the environmental fate of the diffuse distributed PAHs.