A comparative study on source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of the Daliao River, China: Positive matrix factorization and factor analysis with non-negative constraints

Two receptor models, positive matrix factorization (PMF) and factor analysis with non-negative constraints (FA-NNC), were applied for source apportionment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments of the Daliao River, China. The source profiles and source contributions derived from the two receptor models were comparable. For PMF, PAHs mainly came from coal combustion (43.3%), followed by biomass burning (24.3%), traffic emissions (16.7%) and coke oven (15.7%). As for FA-NNC, coal combustion (50.4%) was dominant, followed by biomass burning (21.9%), traffic emission (15.7%) and coke oven (12.0%). The source apportionment results are consistent with the results from the specific PAH diagnostic ratios and emission inventory analysis. In addition, the source apportionment results are consistent with the structure of energy material usage in Liaoning Province of China.