POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHS) EXPOSURE AND THEIR SOURCE ANALYSIS IN THE NORTHERN WETLAND OF THE YELLOW RIVER DELTA

The compounds of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured and identified by GC-MS in surface soil at 20 stations of the northern wetland of the Yellow River Delta. The results showed that the total concentrations of PAHs ranged from 27.34 to 128.97 ng/g (dry weight). The en-riched areas gradually reduced from west to east. The total contaminative level is not very high compared with the similar research of China. According to the varieties and aromatic rings distributions of PAHs, the pollutants might be anthropogenieally induced. The risk assessment values for trace organic pollutants in soil showed that this area was a low ecological risk region, which might not exert significant potential damage to the organisms in this area.