Preliminary investigation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran, polychlorinated naphthalene, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in ambient air in an industrial park at the northeastern edge of the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China

Jicheng Hu; Jing Wu; Chenyang Xu; Xiaoshuo Zha; Ying Hua; Liwen Yang; Jun Jin

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.241

Preliminary investigation of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran, polychlorinated naphthalene, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in ambient air in an industrial park at the northeastern edge of the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China

Sci Total Environ. 2019 Jan 15:648:935-942. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.241. Epub 2018 Aug 19.

Authors

Jicheng Hu¹, Jing Wu², Chenyang Xu², Xiaoshuo Zha², Ying Hua², Liwen Yang², Jun Jin³

Affiliations

¹ College of Life and Environmental Science, MinZu University of China, Beijing 100081, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Food Environment and Public Health, MinZu University of China, Beijing 100081, China. Electronic address: jichhu@muc.edu.cn.
² College of Life and Environmental Science, MinZu University of China, Beijing 100081, China.
³ College of Life and Environmental Science, MinZu University of China, Beijing 100081, China; Beijing Engineering Research Center of Food Environment and Public Health, MinZu University of China, Beijing 100081, China.

PMID: 30144761
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.241

Abstract

Ambient air samples collected in an industrial park at the northeastern edge of the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau (China) were analyzed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and dioxin-like (dl) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The PCDD/F, PCN, and dl-PCB concentrations were 1.18-2.18, 21.9-75.1, and 0.49-0.90 pg/m³, respectively. The concentrations of these compounds were clearly higher than that observed at a remote site and were comparable with those found in ambient air in industrial areas in other locations. A principal component analysis indicated that emissions from local industrial sites (a secondary aluminum smelter, a cement kiln, and a lead-zinc smelter) at which thermal processes are performed were the sources of PCDD/Fs to the air. The combustion-related PCN congener profiles suggested that industrial thermal processes strongly affect PCN concentrations in ambient air at the industrial park. The results clearly indicated that the industrial park is a source of environmental PCDD/Fs and PCNs at the northeastern edge of the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau.

Keywords: Dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls; Dioxins; Industrial park; Polychlorinated naphthalenes; Source; Tibet–Qinghai Plateau.