ABSTRACT
The concentrations of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb) needles from 8 urban parks in Nanjing City (China) were determined using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, and the source apportionment of PAHs in pine needles was studied using diagnostic ratios. The results show that the total PAHs concentrations (sigma PAHs) accumulated in needles from different parks ranged from 909.8 (Linggu Temple) to 2 129.6 ng x g(-1) (Mochou Lake), with an average of 1438.0 ng x g(-1). The PAHs in pine needles mainly associates with 2,3-ring PAHs and 4-ring PAHs, accounting for 66.4% and 29.6% of the sigma PAHs, respectively, while 5,6-ring PAHs only accounts for 4% of the sigma PAHs. Phenanthrene is the dominant PAH with an average concentration of 591.4 ng x g(-1). The average concentration of Benzo (a) pyrene, the most carcinogenic PAH, is 5.1 ng x g(-1). The source apportionment indicates that vehicle emission is the predominant source for PAHs in the pine needles.
