Decadal Variation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an Area Contaminated by Coal Gangue Dump: Emphasis on Concentration, Profile, Source and Carcinogenic Risk

Yanli Yang, Minmin Zhang (), Qiaojing Zhao, Balaji Panchal, Jinxi Wang, Kai Bian and Yuzhuang Sun
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Yanli Yang: School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric Power, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
Minmin Zhang: School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric Power, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
Qiaojing Zhao: School of Earth Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
Balaji Panchal: School of Earth Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
Jinxi Wang: Key Laboratory of Resource Exploration Research of Hebei Province, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
Kai Bian: School of Earth Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China
Yuzhuang Sun: School of Earth Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-15

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are recognized as carcinogens that pose a severe threat to human health. Research on the temporal variation of PAHs was confined to monthly and seasonal investigations, and a longer timescale study remained inadequate until recently. Therefore, this study focuses on the decadal variation of PAHs in environmental media contaminated by a coal gangue dump in the Jiulong Coal Mine, Fengfeng, China. The results show that the total concentrations of PAHs have sharply declined compared to the past. The result of the paired-sample t -test indicates that several individual PAHs have obviously changed in concentration with statistical significance ( p < 0.05). Moreover, proportions of medium-molecule weight PAHs increase with statistical significance ( p < 0.01) when compared to the past. Various diagnostic ratios suggest that PAHs in previous samples are mainly derived from weathering products of coal gangue and vehicle exhaust, while PAHs in the present samples are dominated by those originating from pyrogenic sources. Calculation of incremental lifetime cancer risks (ILCRs) indicates high carcinogenic risk despite a considerable decrease in ILCR values by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude. It shows that recent measurements conducted by the local government do weaken the contamination of coal gangue dumps, but more attention to pyrogenic PAHs is necessary.

Keywords: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; coal gangue dump; source apportionment; carcinogenic risk; decadal variation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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