Distribution and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in industrial site soils: A case study in Benxi, China

Soil contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is an increasing problem in China. An field survey was conducted in the industrial field and adjacent soils of Benxi Iron and Steel Group Corporation of Benxi, China to investigate the contents and distribution of the PAHs of soil, and a health risk assessment was carried out with total toxicity equivalence concentration (TTEC) of 15 PAHs. There was a high variability in the total PAHs concentrations, ranging from 1788.93 ng g(-1) to 71788.86 ng g(-1). The lowest and the highest concentrations were found at Sites 7# and 22#, which are an adjacent site and an industrial site, respectively. According to environmental standard for PAHs in soil offered by Holand Maliszewska- Kordybach, 100% of soil samples suffer from serious pollution ( > 1000 ng g(-1)) in the industrial site and adjacent soils of Benxi Iron and Steel Group Corporation. It indicated that the industrial sites existed potential risk to human health. The percentages of individual PAH with different ring numbers were studied in each sampling soil. Results showed that the concentrations of PAHs with 4 rings are mostly dominated accounting for 49.25% of total PAHs. According to the value of TTEC, all sampling sites existed health risk assessment. The mean TTEC of 15 PAHs is 3162.53ng g(-1) and the highest site is 22# ( 15003.57 ng g(-1)). The analysis showed that there is unacceptable health risk at the industrial site of Benxi.