Characteristic and potential sources of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in agricultural soils in Beijing, China

Wei Li*, Chaoqin Li, Zuosheng Chen, Zongwei CAI

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analyzed in 25 background and 80 agricultural soil samples collected from 21 sites in Beijing, China. The levels of PCDD/Fs in the north agricultural soils were low (0.15-0.58ng international toxic equivalent quantity [I-TEQ]/kg), which were comparable with those of the background soils (0.091-0.35ng I-TEQ/kg). In the southern agricultural soils, however, concentrations were several times higher (0.27-3.3ng I-TEQ/kg). Comparison of PCDD/Fs congener compositions between possible sources and samples indicated that agricultural soils in Beijing had not been contaminated by the 3 main PCDD/F contamination sources in China-ferrous and nonferrous metal, waste incineration, and power generation. They had, however, been slightly contaminated by the impurities of some organochlorine pesticides, such as sodium pentachlorophenate, and by open burning of biomass, vehicle exhaust, atmospheric deposition, sediment, and sewage sludge. These results have been supported by the principal components analysis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2004-2012
Number of pages9
JournalEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Volume33
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2014

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

User-Defined Keywords

  • Agricultural soils
  • Beijing
  • Contamination source
  • Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)

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