Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene (BaP), are toxic compounds emitted from various anthropogenic sources. Understanding the BaP concentrations, dynamics and decomposition in soil is required to assess the critical loads of BaP in urban environment...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: N. S. Kasimov, N. E. Kosheleva, E. M. Nikiforova, D. V. Vlasov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2017-02-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2217/2017/acp-17-2217-2017.pdf
_version_ 1818845850944667648
author N. S. Kasimov
N. E. Kosheleva
E. M. Nikiforova
D. V. Vlasov
author_facet N. S. Kasimov
N. E. Kosheleva
E. M. Nikiforova
D. V. Vlasov
author_sort N. S. Kasimov
collection DOAJ
description Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene (BaP), are toxic compounds emitted from various anthropogenic sources. Understanding the BaP concentrations, dynamics and decomposition in soil is required to assess the critical loads of BaP in urban environments. This study is the first attempt to evaluate all major input and output components of benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene (BaP) balance and to calculate the permissible load on the urban environment in different land-use zones in the Eastern district of Moscow. BaP contamination of the snow cover in the Eastern district of Moscow was related to daily BaP fallout from the atmosphere. In 2010, the mean content of the pollutant in the snow dust was 1942 ng g<sup>−1</sup>, whereas the average intensity of its fallout was 7.13 ng m<sup>−2</sup> per day. Across the territory, BaP winter fallout intensities varied from 0.3 to 1100 ng m<sup>−2</sup> per day. The average BaP content in the surface (0–10 cm) soil horizons was 409 ng g<sup>−1</sup>, which is 83 times higher than the local background value and 20 times higher than the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) accepted in Russia. The variations in soil and snow BaP concentrations among different land-use zones were examined. A significant contribution of BaP from the atmosphere to urban soils was identified. Based on the measurements of BaP atmospheric fallout and BaP reserves in the soils, the critical loads of BaP for the land-use zones in the Eastern district were calculated for different values of degradation intensity and different exposure times. It was established that at an annual degradation intensity of 1–10 %, ecologically safe BaP levels in the soils of all land-use zones, excluding the agricultural zone, will only be reached after many decades or centuries.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T05:36:13Z
format Article
id doaj.art-6c885e2331c1434499620ee062545119
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1680-7316
1680-7324
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T05:36:13Z
publishDate 2017-02-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
spelling doaj.art-6c885e2331c1434499620ee0625451192022-12-21T20:34:08ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242017-02-011732217222710.5194/acp-17-2217-2017Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loadsN. S. Kasimov0N. E. Kosheleva1E. M. Nikiforova2D. V. Vlasov3Department of Landscape Geochemistry and Soil Geography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, RussiaDepartment of Landscape Geochemistry and Soil Geography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, RussiaDepartment of Landscape Geochemistry and Soil Geography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, RussiaDepartment of Landscape Geochemistry and Soil Geography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, RussiaPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particularly benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene (BaP), are toxic compounds emitted from various anthropogenic sources. Understanding the BaP concentrations, dynamics and decomposition in soil is required to assess the critical loads of BaP in urban environments. This study is the first attempt to evaluate all major input and output components of benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene (BaP) balance and to calculate the permissible load on the urban environment in different land-use zones in the Eastern district of Moscow. BaP contamination of the snow cover in the Eastern district of Moscow was related to daily BaP fallout from the atmosphere. In 2010, the mean content of the pollutant in the snow dust was 1942 ng g<sup>−1</sup>, whereas the average intensity of its fallout was 7.13 ng m<sup>−2</sup> per day. Across the territory, BaP winter fallout intensities varied from 0.3 to 1100 ng m<sup>−2</sup> per day. The average BaP content in the surface (0–10 cm) soil horizons was 409 ng g<sup>−1</sup>, which is 83 times higher than the local background value and 20 times higher than the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) accepted in Russia. The variations in soil and snow BaP concentrations among different land-use zones were examined. A significant contribution of BaP from the atmosphere to urban soils was identified. Based on the measurements of BaP atmospheric fallout and BaP reserves in the soils, the critical loads of BaP for the land-use zones in the Eastern district were calculated for different values of degradation intensity and different exposure times. It was established that at an annual degradation intensity of 1–10 %, ecologically safe BaP levels in the soils of all land-use zones, excluding the agricultural zone, will only be reached after many decades or centuries.http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2217/2017/acp-17-2217-2017.pdf
spellingShingle N. S. Kasimov
N. E. Kosheleva
E. M. Nikiforova
D. V. Vlasov
Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads
title_full Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads
title_fullStr Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads
title_full_unstemmed Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads
title_short Benzo[<i>a</i>]pyrene in urban environments of eastern Moscow: pollution levels and critical loads
title_sort benzo i a i pyrene in urban environments of eastern moscow pollution levels and critical loads
url http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2217/2017/acp-17-2217-2017.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT nskasimov benzoiaipyreneinurbanenvironmentsofeasternmoscowpollutionlevelsandcriticalloads
AT nekosheleva benzoiaipyreneinurbanenvironmentsofeasternmoscowpollutionlevelsandcriticalloads
AT emnikiforova benzoiaipyreneinurbanenvironmentsofeasternmoscowpollutionlevelsandcriticalloads
AT dvvlasov benzoiaipyreneinurbanenvironmentsofeasternmoscowpollutionlevelsandcriticalloads