Characterization of the Origin of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments from the Yellow River Estuary, China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic contaminants that are widespread in the environment. A knowledge of their sources is of great significance for effective pollution control. In the present study, 23 PAHs were determined in surface sediments collected from the Yellow River Estuary, China. Potential toxicity analysis indicated that four dibenzopyrene isomers were the major carcinogenic contributors of the PAHs in the study area, underlining the importance of determining these compounds in future analysis. Principal component analysis combined with multiple linear regression and positive matrix factorization were used with diagnostic ratios to identify possible sources of PAHs in the sediments. Coal, biomass, and petroleum combustion were identified by these methods. However, the diagnostic ratios only offered a qualitative reference, and there were differences between the relative contributions estimated by principal component analysis/multiple linear regression and positive matrix factorization. The results suggest that positive matrix factorization is preferred, but more convincing results may be obtained by applying multiple methods to the same data set to more definitively identify PAH sources.