Contamination Characteristics and Pollutant Sources Analysis on PAHs in Shallow Groundwater in Suburb of Taihu Plain
太湖平原城近郊区浅层地下水中多环芳烃污染特征及污染源分析

To investigate shallow groundwater quality in Taihu plain, south of Jiangsu province, 56 samples were collected in north area (C area), north east area (W area) and east area (S area). The concentrations of priority 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed by HP 6890-GC. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and Molecular ratios were used to characterize their possible pollution sources. Concentrations of total priority 16 PAHs in shallow groundwater samples ranged from below method detection limits (< MDLs) to 32.45 microg/L with the average value of 4.42 microg/L, which were predominated by three and four-ring PAHs. High contents of PAHs were found in the vicinity of industrial areas. Ratios of specific PAH compounds including phenanthrene/anthracene (Phe/Ant), fluoranthene/pyrene (FL/Pyr), chrysene/ benzo(a)/anthracene (Chr/BaA), low-molecular-weight PAH/high-molecular-weight PAH (LPAH/HPAH) were calculated to evaluate the possible sources of PAH contamination. These ratios reflected a mixed pattern of pyrolytic and petrogenic inputs of PAHs with different proportion in shallow groundwater. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) results showed that the abnormal benzo (k) fluoranthene concentration dominated the HCA results in C area, the abnormal benzo(a)anthracene concentration dominated the HCA results in W area, and the abnormal benzo (b) fluoranthene concertration dominated the HCA results in S area. At level 0.05, FL, AcPy, Acp, Phe and Bap in C area had Pearson correlation between 0.680 and 0.712. BP, BaA and Bap in W area had Pearson correlation between 0.724 and 0.773. AcPy and Flu in S area had Pearson correlation 0.659, which meant that these PAHs listed in each areas might came from the same kind of sources.