Sediment record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Dianchi lake, southwest China: Influence of energy structure changes and economic development. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ma, Xiaohua; Wan, Hongbin; Zhou, Juan; Luo, Duan; Huang, Tao; Yang, Hao; Huang, Changchun
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 248(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: PAHs -- Lacustrine sediment -- Economic parameters -- Source apportionment -- Dianchi lake; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a sediment core from Dianchi Lake, southwest China, were analysed. The influence of changes in China's energy structure for 2–6 ringed PAHs was investigated to assess sources and the impact of socioeconomic development on temporal changes in concentrations. The concentration of the ΣPAH16 ranged from 746 to 2293 ng g −1 . Prior to the 1960s relatively low concentrations of the ΣPAH16 and a larger proportion of 2–3-ring PAHs indicated that biomass combustion was the main source of PAHs. A rapid increase in the concentrations of 2–3 ring PAHs between 1975 and 2004 was attributed to population growth and coal consumption. A declining trend since 2004 was interpreted as being due to local changes in household energy usage. Increased concentrations of 4-ring PAH between 1975–2005 and 5–6-ring PAHs between the 1980s to 2004 showed correlations with increased coal consumption and the number of motor vehicles, respectively. These were caused by rapid urbanization and industrialization in the Dianchi watershed following the implementation of the Reform and Open Policy in 1978. A subsequent decline in the concentrations of 4-ring and 5–6-ring PAHs may have been due to decreased coal consumption and improvements in emission standards, respectively. Source apportionment by a PMF model revealed that coal combustion (29.2%), vehicle emissions (24.2%), petrogenic sources (21.8%), and biomass combustion (24.9%) were the sources of PAHs in the lake sediment core, and that coal combustion was the most important regional source of PAHs pollution. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Sixteen PAHs from Dianchi lake sediment, a plateau lake in China, were studied. Sediment record of PAHs reflect trends in GDP and total energy consumption. Sediment records of different PAH rings can reflect the changes of energy structure. Coal and biomass combustion, vehicle emissions and petrogenic were the PAHs sources. Time trend of factor contributions are consistent with economic parameters.