Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spatiotemporal distribution and dynamic modeling of atmospheric gaseous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a rapidly urbanizing city: Nanjing, China

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Environmental Geochemistry and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Multiple studies have evaluated the concentration and lung cancer risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, the monitoring and dynamic modeling of PAHs with a high resolution were relatively insufficient. We investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of gaseous PAH concentrations using passive air samplers with high sampling density in an industrial city of Nanjing, China (January and October 2015) and found that the gaseous PAH concentrations in western Nanjing were higher than those in eastern Nanjing, mainly because of emission source distribution and wind action. There were notable seasonal changes in PAH concentrations: winter > autumn > spring > summer. We developed an atmospheric PAH dynamic model with a high resolution of 1 km2 based on the advection–diffusion equation and coupled with an emissions inventory and atmospheric transportation processes. Acenaphthene was selected as a proxy for gaseous PAHs. The modeled acenaphthene concentrations were similar to the concentrations measured. Moreover, we used the model to identify the impact of meteorological factors on gaseous PAHs via scenario analysis and found that a narrow-range temperature change and even heavy rainfall may not significantly affect atmospheric gaseous PAH concentrations, whereas the wind played an important part in transferring PAHs and changing their geographic distribution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amodio, M., Caselli, M., de Gennaro, G., & Tutino, M. (2009). Particulate PAHs in two urban areas of Southern Italy: Impact of the sources, meteorological and background conditions on air quality. Environmental Research, 109(7), 812–820.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bamford, H. A., Poster, D. L., & Baker, J. E. (1999). Temperature dependence of Henry’s law constants of thirteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons between 4 C and 31 C. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 18(9), 1905–1912.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Biermann, H. W., Mac Leod, H., Atkinson, R., Winer, A. M., & Pitts, J. N. (1985). Kinetics of the gas-phase reactions of the hydroxyl radical with naphthalene, phenanthrene, and anthracene. Environmental Science & Technology, 19(3), 244–248.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brubaker, W. W., & Hites, R. A. (1998). OH reaction kinetics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 102(6), 915–921.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cao, H., Tao, S., Xu, F., Coveney, R. M., Cao, J., Li, B., et al. (2004). Multimedia fate model for hexachlorocyclohexane in Tianjin, China. Environmental Science & Technology, 38(7), 2126–2132.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, K.-F., Fang, G.-C., Chen, J.-C., & Wu, Y.-S. (2006). Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Asia: a review from 1999 to 2004. Environmental Pollution, 142(3), 388–396.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y., Feng, Y., Xiong, S., Liu, D., Wang, G., Sheng, G., et al. (2011). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the atmosphere of Shanghai. China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 172(1–4), 235–247.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, H., Deng, Z., Chakraborty, P., Liu, D., Zhang, R., Xu, Y., et al. (2013). A comparison study of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in three Indian cities using PUF disk passive air samplers. Atmospheric Environment, 73, 16–21.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheruiyot, N. K., Lee, W.-J., Mwangi, J. K., Wang, L.-C., Lin, N.-H., Lin, Y.-C., et al. (2015). An Overview: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Emissions from the Stationary and Mobile Sources and in the Ambient Air. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 15(7), 2730–2762.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, S. D., Baek, S. Y., & Chang, Y. S. (2007). Influence of a large steel complex on the spatial distribution of volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) determined by passive air sampling using membrane-enclosed copolymer (MECOP). Atmospheric Environment, 41(29), 6255–6264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi, S.-D., Kwon, H.-O., Lee, Y.-S., Park, E.-J., & Oh, J.-Y. (2012). Improving the spatial resolution of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using passive air samplers in a multi-industrial city. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 241–242, 252–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cousins, I. T., & Mackay, D. (2001). Strategies for including vegetation compartments in multimedia models. Chemosphere, 44(4), 643–654.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eiguren-Fernandez, A., Miguel, A. H., Froines, J. R., Thurairatnam, S., & Avol, E. L. (2004). Seasonal and Spatial Variation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Vapor-Phase and PM2.5 in Southern California Urban and Rural Communities. Aerosol Science and Technology, 38(5), 447–455.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fang, G.-C., Chang, K.-F., Lu, C., & Bai, H. (2004). Estimation of PAHs dry deposition and BaP toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) study at Urban, Industry Park and rural sampling sites in central Taiwan. Taichung. Chemosphere, 55(6), 787–796.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halsall, C. J., Sweetman, A., Barrie, L. A., & Jones, K. C. (2001). Modelling the behaviour of PAHs during atmospheric transport from the UK to the Arctic. Atmospheric Environment, 35(2), 255–267.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hassan, S., & Khoder, M. I. (2012). Gas–particle concentration, distribution, and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at a traffic area of Giza. Egypt. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 184(6), 3593–3612.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hong, W., Jia, H., Ma, W. L., Sinha, R. K., Moon, H. B., Nakata, H., et al. (2016). Distribution, fate, inhalation exposure and lung cancer risk of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in some Asian countries. Environmental Science and Technology, 50(13), 7163–7174.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • JSB, J. S. B. (2002–2016). Statistical yearbook of Jiangsu 2001–2015. China Statistics Press: Beijing, China.

  • Kim, K.-H., Jahan, S. A., Kabir, E., & Brown, R. J. C. (2013). A review of airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their human health effects. Environment International, 60, 71–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kleerekoper, L., van Esch, M., & Salcedo, T. B. (2012). How to make a city climate-proof, addressing the urban heat island effect. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 64, 30–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, C.-C. (2005). Energy consumption and GDP in developing countries: a cointegrated panel analysis. Energy economics, 27(3), 415–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, B., Chen, D., Wu, S., Zhou, S., Wang, T., & Chen, H. (2016). Spatio-temporal assessment of urbanization impacts on ecosystem services: Case study of Nanjing City, China. Ecological Indicators, 71, 416–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, J., Zhang, G., Li, X., Qi, S., Liu, G., & Peng, X. (2006). Source seasonality of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a subtropical city, Guangzhou, South China. Science of the Total Environment, 355(1), 145–155.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liaud, C., Schwartz, J. J., Ocampotorres, R., Delhomme, O., & Millet, M. (2016). Temporal variations of atmospheric PAHs in an urban area (Strasbourg, France) by using long-duration high-volume sampling. Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, 37(2–3), 1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C., Bennett, D. H., Kastenberg, W. E., McKone, T. E., & Browne, D. (1999). A multimedia, multiple pathway exposure assessment of atrazine: fate, transport and uncertainty analysis. Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 63(2), 169–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, M., Cheng, S. B., Ou, D. N., Hou, L. J., Gao, L., Wang, L. L., et al. (2007a). Characterization, identification of road dust PAHs in central Shanghai areas, China. Atmospheric Environment, 41(38), 8785–8795.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, S., Tao, S., Liu, W., Dou, H., Liu, Y., Zhao, J., et al. (2008). Seasonal and spatial occurrence and distribution of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in rural and urban areas of the North Chinese Plain. Environmental Pollution, 156(3), 651–656.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, X., Zhang, G., Li, J., Cheng, H.-R., Qi, S.-H., Li, X.-D., et al. (2007b). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the air of Chinese cities. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 9(10), 1092–1098.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, W. L., Li, Y. F., Qi, H., Sun, D. Z., Liu, L. Y., & Wang, D. G. (2010). Seasonal variations of sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to a northeastern urban city, China. Chemosphere, 79(4), 441–447.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, D. (2001). Multimedia environmental models: the fugacity approach. Boca Raton: CRC.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mao, X., Yu, Z., Ding, Z., Huang, T., Ma, J., Zhang, G., et al. (2015). Sources and potential health risk of gas phase PAHs in Hexi Corridor, Northwest China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(3), 2603–2612.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, M. G., & Henrion, M. (1990). Uncertainty: A guide to dealing with uncertainty in quantitative risk and policy analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Motelay-Massei, A., Harner, T., Shoeib, M., Diamond, M., Stern, G., & Rosenberg, B. (2005). Using passive air samplers to assess urban–rural trends for persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 2. Seasonal trends for PAHs, PCBs, and organochlorine pesticides. Environmental Science & Technology, 39(15), 5763–5773.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • NBS, N. B. o. S. (2002–2016). China energy statistical yearbook 2001–2015. China Statistics Press: Beijing, China.

  • Nsb, N. S. B. (2016). Statistical yearbook of Nanjing 2015. Beijing: China Statistics Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odabasi, M., Cetin, E., & Sofuoglu, A. (2006). Determination of octanol–air partition coefficients and supercooled liquid vapor pressures of PAHs as a function of temperature: application to gas-particle partitioning in an urban atmosphere. Atmospheric Environment, 40(34), 6615–6625.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S. S., Kim, Y. J., & Kang, C. H. (2002). Atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Seoul, Korea. Atmospheric Environment, 36(17), 2917–2924.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Primbs, T., Piekarz, A., Wilson, G., Schmedding, D., Higginbotham, C., Field, J., et al. (2008). Influence of Asian and western United States urban areas and fires on the atmospheric transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and fluorotelomer alcohols in the western United States. Environmental Science & Technology, 42(17), 6385–6391.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzenbach, R. P., Gschwend, P. M., & Imboden, D. M. (2005). Environmental organic chemistry. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shen, H., Huang, Y., Wang, R., Zhu, D., Li, W., Shen, G., et al. (2013). Global atmospheric emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from 1960 to 2008 and future predictions. Environmental Science & Technology, 47(12), 6415–6424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun, P., Blanchard, P., Brice, K. A., & Hites, R. A. (2006). Trends in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in the great lakes atmosphere. Environmental Science & Technology, 40(20), 6221–6227.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sykorova, B., Kucbel, M., Raclavska, H., Drozdova, J., & Raclavsky, K. (2015). Seasonal variations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the air of Moravian–Silesian region, Czech Republic. Environment, energy and applied technology (pp. 367–372). London: Taylor & Francis Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tao, S., Li, B., Zhang, Y. X., & Yuan, H. (2011). Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in China. In B. Xing, N. Senesi & P. M. Huang (Eds.), Biophysico-Chemical Processes of Anthropogenic Organic Compounds in Environmental Systems. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470944479.ch11.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Tian, C., Ma, J., Liu, L., Jia, H., Xu, D., & Li, Y.-F. (2009). A modeling assessment of association between East Asian summer monsoon and fate/outflow of α-HCH in Northeast Asia. Atmospheric Environment, 43(25), 3891–3901.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toose, L., Woodfine, D. G., MacLeod, M., Mackay, D., & Gouin, J. (2004). BETR-world: a geographically explicit model of chemical fate: application to transport of α-HCH to the Arctic. Environmental Pollution, 128(1), 223–240.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tue, N. M., Takahashi, S., Suzuki, G., Isobe, T., Viet, P. H., Kobara, Y., et al. (2013). Contamination of indoor dust and air by polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants and relevance of non-dietary exposure in Vietnamese informal e-waste recycling sites. Environment International, 51, 160–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (1999). Compendium method TO-13A, determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient air using gas chromatography (GC/MS).

  • Vasilakos, C., Levi, N., Maggos, T., Hatzianestis, J., Michopoulos, J., & Helmis, C. (2007). Gas-particle concentration and characterization of sources of PAHs in the atmosphere of a suburban area in Athens. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 140(1–2), 45–51.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., Li, P.-H., Li, H.-L., Liu, X.-H., & Wang, W.-X. (2010a). PAHs distribution in precipitation at Mount Taishan: China. Identification of sources and meteorological influences. Atmospheric Research, 95(1), 1–7.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, X. Y., Li, Q. B., Luo, Y. M., Ding, Q., Xi, L. M., Ma, J. M., et al. (2010b). Characteristics and sources of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Shanghai, China. Environmental Monitoring & Assessment, 165(1–4), 295–305.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiya, L., Min, L., Yi, Y., Min, L., Lijun, H., Yingpeng, Y., et al. (2015). Construction of the emission inventory of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of Shanghai and prediction of its emission trend. Resources and Environment in the Yangtze Basin, 24(6), 1003–1011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xing, X., Qi, S., Zhang, J., Wu, C., Zhang, Y., Yang, D., et al. (2011). Spatial distribution and source diagnosis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from Chengdu Economic Region, Sichuan Province, western China. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 110(2), 146–154.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, S., Liu, W., & Tao, S. (2006). Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in China. Environmental Science & Technology, 40(3), 702–708.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, F.-L., Qin, N., Zhu, Y., He, W., Kong, X.-Z., Barbour, M. T., et al. (2013). Multimedia fate modeling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Lake Small Baiyangdian, Northern China. Ecological Modelling, 252, 246–257.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y. (2010). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in China: emission, atmospheric transport and lung cancer risk. Doctor Thesis. Peking University.

  • Zhang, Y., Dou, H., Chang, B., Wei, Z., Qiu, W., Liu, S., et al. (2008). Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from indoor straw burning and emission inventory updating in China. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1140(1), 218–227.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., Shen, H., Tao, S., & Ma, J. (2011). Modeling the atmospheric transport and outflow of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emitted from China. Atmospheric Environment, 45(17), 2820–2827.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., & Tao, S. (2008). Seasonal variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emissions in China. Atmospheric Environment, 156(3), 657–663.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., & Tao, S. (2009). Global atmospheric emission inventory of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for 2004. Atmospheric Environment, 43(4), 812–819.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., Tao, S., Cao, J., & Coveney, R. M. (2007). Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in China by county. Environmental Science & Technology, 41(3), 683–687.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, J., Yang, L., Mellouki, A., Chen, J., Chen, X., Gao, Y., et al. (2018). Atmospheric PAHs, NPAHs, and OPAHs at an urban, mountainous, and marine sites in Northern China: Molecular composition, sources, and ageing. Atmospheric Environment, 173, 256–264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, Y., Wang, Q., Yang, L., Li, Z., Satake, K., & Tsunoda, K.-I. (2006). Alternative normalization method of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons pollution level recorded by tree bark. Environmental Science & Technology, 40(19), 5853–5859.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, X., Zhou, C., Henkelmann, B., Wang, Z., Ma, X., Pfister, G., et al. (2013). Monitoring of PAHs profiles in the urban air of Dalian, China with active high-volume sampler and semipermeable membrane devices. Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds, 33(3), 265–288.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant Number 41671085].

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of land and urban-rural development, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics, 18 Xueyuan Street, Hangzhou, 310018, People’s Republic of China

    Shaohua Wu

  2. Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Exploitation and Protection, Ministry of Land and Resources, Nanjing, 210017, People’s Republic of China

    Baojie Li, Shenglu Zhou & Chunhui Wang

  3. School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, People’s Republic of China

    Baojie Li, Shenglu Zhou, Teng Wang & Chunhui Wang

Authors
  1. Baojie Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shaohua Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shenglu Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Teng Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Chunhui Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Shaohua Wu or Shenglu Zhou.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 1776 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, B., Wu, S., Zhou, S. et al. Spatiotemporal distribution and dynamic modeling of atmospheric gaseous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a rapidly urbanizing city: Nanjing, China. Environ Geochem Health 40, 2603–2616 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-018-0126-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-018-0126-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation