Pollution sources identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of soils in Tianjin area, China

A total of 188 surface soil samples were collected from different types of utilization soils in Tianjin area. Factor analysis and scatter point surface tension spine function interpolation were used to analyze types and spatial distributions of PAH sources of surface soils in Tianjin area. The results showed that most pollution sources were mixed sources including coal burning and petroleum spill. Mixed sources occupied 56.12%, 58.96%, 46.45% and 59.50% in farmland of wastewater irrigation, common farmland, wild land and city green-belt, respectively. Other pollution sources such as vehicle emission, biogenic conversion, wood burning and natural gas combustion were also significant. The spatial distributions of pollution sources were closely related to geographic location, geographic condition and living habit of indigenes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.