Application of Factor Analysis with Nonnegative Constraints for Source Apportionment of Soil Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Liaoning, China

Abstract

An improved method, factor analysis with nonnegative constraints (FA-NNC) was employed to determine the source contributions of soil polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Liaoning province, China, based on the measured PAH concentrations of 45 surface soil samples. The summation of 14 PAHs (Σ PAHs) ranged from 125 to 4115 ng/g dry weight with a median value of 533 ng/g. The high proportion of phenanthrene (Phe) (18.3%) implied that PAHs mainly originated from coal and/or biomass combustion. According to the results obtained from the FA-NNC, four sources were identified representing coal combustion, coke oven, biomass burning, and a labeled “other” source that may be a mixture profile. The contributions of these sources were quantified as 50.5% from coal combustion, 27.0% from coke oven, 19.4% from biomass burning and 3.1% from the “other” source. The results were compatible with emission estimation based on annual fuel consumption in the study area and emission factors of PAHs.

Keywords:

• soil
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
• factor analysis
• source apportionment
• nonnegative constraints

Acknowledgment

The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20377005) and the Key Laboratory of Marine Spill Oil Identification and Damage Assessment Technology, SOA of China.