Comparison of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) concentrations in urban and natural forest soils in the Atlantic Forest (São Paulo State)

Abstract

Studies about pollution by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tropical soils and Brazil are scarce. A study was performed to examine the PAHs composition, concentrations and sources in red-yellow Oxisols of remnant Atlantic Forest of the São Paulo State. Sampling areas were located in an urban site (PEFI) and in a natural one (CUNHA). The granulometric composition, pH, organic matter content and mineralogical composition were determined in samples of superficial soils. The sum of PAHs ( HPAs) was 4.5 times higher in the urban area than in the natural one. Acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene have been detected in the soils of both areas and presented similar concentrations. Acenaphthene and fluorene were the most abundant compounds. Pyrene was twice more abundant in the soils of natural area (15 µg.kg -1 ) than of the urban area and fluoranthene was the dominant compound (203 µg.kg -1 ) in urban area (6.8 times higher than in the natural area). Some compounds of higher molecular weight, which are tracers of vehicular emissions showed significant concentrations in urban soils. Pyrene represented 79% of PAHs whereas it has not been detected in natural soils. The results showed that forest soils in urban area are characterized by the accumulation of high molecular weight compounds of industrial and vehicular origin.

Influence of Air Pollution and Soil Contamination on the Contents of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Vegetables Grown in Urban Gardens of Sao Paulo, Brazil

“…The ranges of concentrations of the 16 PAHs identified by the US EPA as priority pollutants found in the soils of New York, USA; Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany; Guangzhou, China; Shanghai, China; Kathmandu, Nepal; Panipat, India; and Isfahan, Iran were 0.1-149.5 mg kg −1 (Marquez-Bravo et al, 2016); 0.03-7.0 µg kg −1 (Wennrich et al, 2002); 0.04-3.1 mg kg −1 (Chen et al, 2005); 0.08-7.22 mg kg −1 (Wang et al, 2013); 0.17-0.68 mg kg −1 (Aichner et al, 2007); 0.13-0.17 mg kg −1 (Tuteja et al, 2011);and 0.06-11.73 mg kg −1 (Moore et al, 2015), respectively. To our knowledge, only one study has analysed the concentrations of PAHs on soil within the urban area of Sao Paulo, in a remnant part of the Atlantic Forest, located in the neighborhood of a large industrial area (Bourotte et al, 2009). The total concentrations of the PAHs in this area were 3.8 times higher (0.82 mg kg −1 ) than those we measured.…”

Bacterial chemotaxis: a way forward to aromatic compounds biodegradation

“…Several researchers studied the level of PAHs in urban areas and assessed their potential risk impact on human health. It is generally accepted that urban areas contain higher PAHs concentration owing to vehicular emissions, natural gas combustion, and petrol emissions [23][24][25]. Wang et al [26] studied the critical concentrations of PAHs in urban soils of the Nanjing district of China.…”

Trace metals and PAHs in topsoils of the University campus in the megacity of São Paulo, Brazil

“…Soil pollution by metals and other compounds such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been described in several studies and different urban contexts principally performed in northern hemisphere (Werkenthin et al 2014, Orecchio 2010, Nadal et al 2004, Jensen et al 2007, Haugland et al 2008, Mielke et al 2004, Manta et al 2002, Madrid et al 2002, Charlesworth et al 2011, Alekseenko and Alekseenko 2014 and Asia (Zhang et al 2006, Zuo et al 2007, Chung et al 2007, Ray et al 2008, Agarwal 2009, Jiang et al 2009, Liu et al 2010. In South America, fewer studies have been published in urban areas (Morton et al 2001, Morcelli et al 2005, Ribeiro et al 2012, Figueiredo et al 2011, Fujiwara et al 2011, Bourotte et al 2009, Netto et al 2006.…”