Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Soils of Kunming,China: Concentrations,Distribution, Sources,and Potential Risk

The concentrations, distribution, possible sources, and potential risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface soils were studied in Kunming, which is situated in a lake basin of the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau. 15 PAHs were analyzed in 40 surface soil samples (0–5 cm layer) collected from six types of land uses in the Kunming urban area. Meanwhile, the potential sources of PAHs in surface soils of Kunming were investigated by PAH composition ratios, isomer ratios, and principal component analysis (PCA). The total concentrations of 15 PAHs ranged from 101.64 to 6,208.25 ng/g (dry weight basis). The concentrations in different land uses increased in an order as: green space (541.43 ng/g) < education area (756.49 ng/g) < business area (810.17 ng/g) < residential area (1,034.36 ng/g) < industrial area (1,166.79 ng/g) < roadside greens (2,146.76 ng/g). The results of sources identification suggested that PAHs in surface soils of the Kunming urban area were greatly affected by combustion activities which came mainly from coal combustion and vehicular traffic. In addition, the toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) were used to estimate benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent concentration in surface soils of Kunming, and the risk level of PAHs in Kunming's urban surface soils was low as a whole.     

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Profiles of Some Brands of Canned Fish in the Nigerian Market

Concentrations and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in selected popular brands of canned fish (mackerel, sardine, and tuna) consumed in Nigeria with a view to providing information on the health risk associated with consumption of these products. The concentrations of PAHs were measured by gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) after dichloromethane/hexane extraction and clean-up. The concentrations of Σ16 PAHs in these brands of canned fish varied from 174.6 to 350.8 μg/kg, 187.4 to 592.5 μg/kg, and 204 to 264.6 μg/kg for mackerel, sardine, and tuna, respectively. Benzo(a)pyrene was detected in 48% of the investigated brands at concentrations higher than the maximum tolerable limit of 5 μg/kg. The daily intake of PAHs from the consumption of any brand of these canned fish ranged from not detected (nd) to 54.3 ng BaP/kg bw/day, nd to 56.4 ng PAH2/kg bw/day, nd to 86.4 ng PAH4/kg bw/day, and nd to 153.7 ng PAH8/kg bw/day. The estimated margin of exposure (MOE) values (BaP-MOE, PAH2-MOE, PAH4-MOE, and PAH8-MOE) in a significant proportion of the brands was less than 10,000, which indicates a potential health risk for the consumers of these brands of canned fish.     

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Road-Deposited Sediments and Roadside Soil in Tijuana,Mexico

Road-deposited sediment and roadside soil in the urban area of the city of Tijuana were collected and analyzed for 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The ΣPAH concentration for road-deposited sediment (RDS) ranged between 460 and 2027 µg/kg with an average of 933 µg/kg. The ΣPAH concentration in roadside soil was lower than in RDS, with a range between 54 and 1863 µg/kg and a mean value of 308 µg/kg. The diagnostic ratios showed that the PAHs originated mostly from pyrogenic sources such as gasoline and diesel combustion. The results show that PAH concentration in RDS and roadside soils is low when compared with other published studies. The low PAH levels found in this study are possibly related to differences in climate, urban features, and anthropogenic activities conducted in the studied areas. The toxicity equivalent concentrations (TEQ) of PAH calculated were also low in comparison with other studies. This is probably due to the lower concentration of total PAHs and the highly toxic high-molecular-weight PAHs.     

Source Analysis and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Paddy Soils

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are typically persistent organic pollutants with hypertoxicity and widespreading, attracting increasing attention in recent years. Six paddy land sites soils irrigated from different rivers in the Nansi Lake area of Shandong Province, China, were studied to analyze and assess the source and risk of PAHs.Analysis revealed total PAHs (TPAHs) concentrations in topsoil ranging from 57.49 to 2046.47 μg kg^?1, meanwhile, Weishan County (WS) was highly contaminated primarily from coal combustion based on the Nemerow composite index and geochemical indices.Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) suggested that bacterial species were affected by pH, TPAHs, and soil organic matter (SOM), while covariables analysis confirmed that most effects of PAHs on bacterial diversity were attributed to the PAHs effect alone rather than the combined effects of PAHs and soil properties. The average daily human exposure (ADE) in children was approximately 2 times higher than that in adults, and the exposure paths values followed a decreasing order, oral intake > skin contact > inhalation. Furthermore, the WS site and another rice test field (TF) presented potential cancer risks and required further investigation. Therefore, the study has important theoretical significance for the control of PAHs pollution in this field, providing a scientific basis for health assessment.     

Levels,Sources, and Toxic Potential of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Urban Soil of Delhi,India

This study was done to determine the concentration of PAHs in urban soil of Delhi (India). Surface top soil (up to 10 cm depth) samples were collected from four different sampling sites including industrial, roadside, residential, and agricultural areas of Delhi and 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were evaluated. Total PAH concentrations at industrial, roadside, residential, and agricultural sites were 11.46 ± 8.39, 6.96 ± 4.82, 2.12 ± 1.12, and 1.55 ± 1.07 mg/kg (dry weight), respectively, with 3–7 times greater concentrations in industrial and roadside soils than that in residential and agricultural soils. The PAH pattern was dominated by 4- and 5-ring PAHs (contributing >50% to the total PAHs) at industrial and roadside sites with greater concentration of fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[ghi]perylene, and pyrene, whereas, residential and agricultural sites showed a predominance of low molecular weight 2- and 3-ring PAHs (fluoranthene, acenaphthene, naphthalene, chrysene, and anthracene). Isomeric pair ratios suggested biomass combustion and fossil fuel emissions as the main sources of PAHs. The toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) showed that carcinogenic potency (benzo[a]pyrene-equivalent concentration (B[a]P_eq) of PAH load in industrial and roadside soils was ～10 and ～6 times greater than the agricultural soil.     

Occurrence and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Hanjiang River Basin and the Danjiangkou Reservoir,China

This study was conducted to investigate the occurrence, distribution, and source of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Hanjiang River Basin and the Danjiangkou (DJK) Reservoir. The concentrations of total PAHs in surface water, sediments, and bank soils ranged from 9.42 to 137.94 ng/l, 86.23 to 2514.93 ng/g, and 133.17 to 671.93 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The composition pattern of PAHs showed that 3-ring PAHs were dominated in all of the samples, while the proportion of high molecular weight PAHs (5- to 6-ring PAHs) in sediments and bank soil samples was almost three times higher than water. The source apportionment analysis showed that most of the PAHs in water were derived from sources of petroleum and combustion, while combustion was the predominant source of PAHs in sediments and bank soils. The methods based on toxic equivalency factors, risk quotient, and incremental lifetime cancer risk were used to assess the ecosystem risk and potential health risk of PAHs. The risk assessments showed that PAHs in the DJK Reservoir were out of potential health risk, but the ecological risk for majority of 16 PAHs was in the moderate level.     

Contamination,source identification,and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in agricultural soils around a typical coking plant in Shandong,China

Coking is one of the most important emission sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in China. Investigation of the contamination, distribution, and sources of PAHs in agricultural soils around Rong Xin coking plant, China, was conducted, and the potential human health risks were addressed. The total concentration of the 16 PAHs (∑₁₆PAHs) on the United States Environmental Protection Agency priority list had a range from 1774 to 4621 µg/kg (mean 3016 µg/kg). Meanwhile, seven carcinogenic PAHs (∑PAH_7c) owned the total concentrations of 684–2105 µg/kg, and they had the benzo[a]pyrene equivalent (BaP_eq) concentrations at 139.616–1672.850 µg/kg. All soil samples were dominated by PAHs with two to four rings. Data analyses for the potential sources of PAHs showed that the PAHs in soils were principally from pyrogenic sources. Ecological risk assessment of soil PAHs showed that the BaP_eq concentrations of ∑PAH_7c accounted for 99% of the total ∑₁₆PAHs, being a major carcinogenic contributors of ∑₁₆PAHs. Higher levels of PAHs and higher total BaP_eq concentrations in this study indicate a potential carcinogenic risk for humans. Therefore, long-term exposure to coking plants may increase the PAH concentrations in the environment and further raise a potential risk to human health.     

Sterigmatocystin and aflatoxin B<Subscript>1</Subscript> contamination of corn,soybean meal,and formula feed in Japan

Sterigmatocystin (STC) and aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) were analyzed in 246 corn samples, 126 soybean meal samples, and 861 formula feed samples from the Japanese market between April 2010 and March 2015. The detection rate, the highest concentration, and the mean concentration of STC were respectively 14%, 6.4 μg/kg, and 1.2 μg/kg for corn; 14%, 1.1 μg/kg, and 0.63 μg/kg for soybean meal; and 43%, 9.1 μg/kg, and 0.97 μg/kg for formula feed. The detection rate, the highest concentration, and the mean concentration of AFB₁ were respectively 46%, 24 μg/kg, and 3.9 μg/kg for corn; 30%, 6.7 μg/kg, and 1.1 μg/kg for soybean meal; and 47%, 20 μg/kg, and 1.6 μg/kg for formula feed. A weak negative correlation between the STC and AFB₁ concentrations was observed: there was a high concentration of AFB₁ in samples that contained a lower concentration of STC and vice versa. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient showed a weak negative correlation of ? 0.30 (p < 0.001, n = 128) for corn and ? 0.23 (p < 0.001, n = 575) for formula feed. In conclusion, no correlation was observed between the mean concentrations of STC contamination in formula feed (0.97 μg/kg) and in corn (1.2 μg/kg) and the blending rate (approximately 50%). The rate of STC contamination in the formula feed (43%) was higher than that in corn (14%). Therefore, it is likely that ingredients other than corn contribute to the contamination of formula feed with STC. In this study, regarding STC, problematic samples were not found.     

Cadmium contamination in various environmental materials in an industrial area,Hangzhou, China

Abstract

Due to the location of manufacturing in north Hangzhou, many residential areas are close to trunk roads and factory areas. This potentially exposes citizens to pollution sources such as industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust. Because pollution by cadmium (Cd) is of great concern, an extensive survey was conducted in north Hangzhou city to study the current condition of Cd contamination and any resulting hazard. Environmental materials including water, bottom mud, urban green-land soil, street dust and moss were collected. Cd concentration and chemical partitioning in the samples were determined. The results indicate that all the media in north Hangzhou have elevated Cd concentrations, the Cd conten trend being: factory area >traffic area > residential area. The chemical partitioning results show that Cc in topsoil and street dust presents are mobile (9–61% Cd are bound in acetic acid extractable phase) which suggests a high ecological hazard potential. Environmental bioindicator moss samples were found to be loaded with Cd revealing high bioavailability of Cd in various media in north Hangzhou This confirms the possibility of Cd being a potential biohazard in this location.     

Cat (Fel d 1) and dog (Can f 1) allergen levels in cars,dwellings and schools

Pets are an important source of indoor allergens. The aim of the study was to compare cat and dog allergen levels in cars, schools and homes. The study was carried out in 17 cars, 14 classrooms and 19 dwellings located in the highly industrialized and urbanized region of Poland. Dust and air samples were analyzed for Fel d 1 and Can f 1 using a double monoclonal ELISA assay. The highest amounts of cat and dog allergens (Fel d 1: 1169 μg/g; Can f 1: 277 μg/g) were found in dwellings with pets. Allergen concentrations were correlated with the number of animals kept at home. Although concentrations on automobile seats were lower, Fel d 1 levels exceeded 8 μg/g in 23.5 % of cars and high levels of Can f 1 (>10 μg/g) were found in 17.6 % of cars. The study revealed that cars of pet owners may be reservoirs of cat and dog allergens even when animals are not transported in them. In schools, concentrations of pet allergens did not reach high levels, but the moderate levels of Fel d 1 (≥1–8 μg/g) and Can f 1 (≥2–10 μg/g) were detected in 42.9 and 7.1 % of the investigated classrooms. Concentrations of cat and dog allergen in schools were higher than in homes without pets. While airborne Fel d 1 and Can f 1 levels were found low, residential allergen concentrations in settled dust and air were correlated. The study results suggest that classrooms and cars of pet owners may be important sites of exposure to cat and dog allergens, though the highest concentrations of Fel d 1 and Can f 1 are found in homes of pet owners.     

In Vitro Health Risk Assessment of Ingesting Metal-Enriched Soils and Dusts in a Chinese Mining City

To evaluate the potential health hazards caused by extensive vanadium–titanium magnetite mining, bioavailability and bioaccessibility of metals were assessed in the pluralistic mining–agriculture–residential city of Panzhihua, China. Intensive mining and related heavy traffic may have contributed to Ni, Cr, and Zn contamination and Mn and V accumulation in soils and road dusts. The metal bioavailability estimated by water extraction was significantly lower than metal bioaccessibility on the basis of the simple bioaccessibility extraction test. The bioaccessible metal concentrations were significantly and positively correlated with soil/dust total metal concentrations (p < .05). However, bioavailable metal concentrations exhibited no relationship with total metal concentrations except for V. The bioaccessibility of metals significantly varied and exhibited the following order: Pb > Zn > Mn > Ni > V > Cr. Health risk assessment indicated that the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks posed by these metals were at an acceptable level, but Cr in soils of the mining area and V in surface soils along the Jinsha River were close to the safe level for children. Therefore, the potential health risk attributed to the exposure of children to metals in surface soils and road dusts in such areas should not be overlooked.     

Performance,Egg Quality Traits,and Serum Metabolite Concentrations of Laying Hens Affected by Dietary Supplemental Chromium Picolinate and Vitamin C Under a Heat-Stress Condition

A 3?×?2 factorial experiment consisting three levels (0, 200, and 400 μg/kg) of chromium (chromium picolinate) and two levels (0 and 250 mg/kg) of vitamin C was employed to evaluate the effects of these dietary supplements on performance, egg quality traits, and serum biochemical parameters of heat-stressed laying hens (Lohmann LSL-Lite) from 66 to 74 weeks of age. Feed intake increased when birds were given either 400 μg/kg chromium or 250 mg/kg vitamin C (P?<?0.05), but the birds that received both chromium and vitamin C consumed feed similar to those that received only chromium. Dietary treatments had no effect on egg production, egg mass, egg volume, feed conversion ratio, and body mass (P?>?0.05). The birds that fed on diet with chromium or vitamin C produced eggs with higher shell mass and thickness compared to the control. Both eggshell mass and thickness decreased when vitamin C and chromium were supplemented simultaneously, and birds given the diet supplemented with 400 μg/kg chromium and 250 mg/kg vitamin C had eggshell mass and thickness similar to those of the control group. The serum concentration of chromium increased due to increasing level of dietary chromium (P?<?0.05). The birds that received diet with chromium and vitamin C had higher serum concentrations of chromium compared to those that received only chromium (P?<?0.05). Similarly, the hens that received chromium and vitamin C had higher serum concentrations of calcium and phosphorus compared to the hens fed with other treatments (P?<?0.05). The birds given with supplemental chromium exhibited lower serum glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides concentrations but higher serum albumin and total protein concentrations compared to the other groups (P?<?0.05).     

Concentration,Distribution, Source,and Risk Assessment of PAHs and Heavy Metals in Surface Water from the Three Gorges Reservoir,China

Fifteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals (Cr, Ni, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg) were quantified in 19 surface water sites of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. The total concentrations of 15 PAHs and six heavy metals in the 19 sample sites ranged from 130.8 ng L^?1 to 227.5 ng L^?1 and 3.2 μg L^?1 to 6.0 μg L^?1, respectively. The mean concentration of As was the highest among the six heavy metals (2.1 ± 0.3 μg L^?1), followed by Cr (0.5 ± 0.3 μg L^?1), Ni (1.3 ± 0.1 μg L^?1), Cd (0.2 ± 0.01 μg L^?1), Pb (0.07 ± 0.08 μ g L^?1) and Hg (0.05 ± 0.08 μg L^?1). The isomer ratio results suggest that PAHs at most sites were mainly from petroleum combustion, while coal and biomass combustion was the main source at sites 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 14, and 17. Based on principal component analysis, the main source of heavy metals was anthropogenic activities and weathering of bedrocks. Depending on characteristic of RQ_(NCs) ≥ 1 and RQ_(MPCs) < 1, BaA showed higher potential ecological risk than other PAHs, therefore, all sampling site needed to be paid much more attention, included some remedial actions. Meanwhile, after assessing human health risk of heavy metal, it was unlikely to experience adverse health effects, even exposing through more pathways and six kinds of heavy metals simultaneously.     

A survey of aflatoxins in sesame seeds imported into Khorasan Province, Iran

Sesame seed is one of the main nutrient substances which is used in the food industries of Khorasan Razavi, Iran. Because it is likely that stored sesame seeds are contaminated with mycotoxins, the levels of aflatoxins (AF) in five lots of imported sesame seeds before their distribution to the market were studied during one year. A total of 269 sub-samples were obtained from a total of 9,321 tons of sesame seeds from five importing companies. Aflatoxins at >1 μg/kg were found in 50 % of all samples, but at low levels in most cases, which is illustrated by mean AFB₁ and total AF levels of 1.25?±?3.70 and 1.43?±?4.38 μg/kg, respectively. A few (1.9 %) samples exceeded the National Iranian Standard maximum accepted level for AFB₁ (5 μg/kg) or total AF (15 μg/kg); the maximum total AF level found in one sample was 48 μg/kg. The results indicate that the risk of a violative AF contamination in imported sesame seeds is not negligible but is currently relatively low.     

Seasonal variations of metal pollution and distribution,sources, and ecological risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment of the Al Hawizah wetland,Iran

The pollution of surface sediments of Al Hawizah wetland by metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been fully investigated. For determination of PAHs and metals concentration in sediments, eight sampling stations were selected in the study area. The results showed that the concentration of Mn is the highest, while the content of Cr is the lowest in both the seasons. The concentration of Cr and V is lower than mean crust content, while Cu concentration is more than mean crust content. The results obtained from Muller's geochemical index are indicative of range from uncontaminated to moderately contaminated. Based on potential ecological risk (RI), the Al Hawizah wetland had low ecological risk. The total PAHs concentrations ranged from 1071 to 15540 ng/g dry weight, with a mean of 9417.50 ng/g in the summer, while total amounts of PAHs in the winter ranged from 1542 to 17283 with a mean 10321.25 ng/g dry weight. The area of study was affected by pyrogenic and petrogenic sources (51.74 and 48.26%, respectively), in the winter. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds were lower than effects range median (ERM) standard while were higher than effects range low (ERL) standard, except station 1, in both seasons.     

Concentrations and Health Risk of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Some Brands of Biscuits in the Nigerian Market

Concentrations of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in 40 brands of biscuits in the Nigerian market. The analyses were performed by gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) after Soxhlet extraction of the sample with hexane/dichloromethane and clean-up of the extract. The concentrations of Σ16 PAHs in these biscuit samples were in the range of 35.7–645.3 μg kg^?1, 75.9–490.7 μg kg^?1, 91.5–537 μg kg^?1, 18.4–522.2 μg kg^?1, 123.5–393.8 μg kg^?1, 167.2–880 μg kg^?1, 136.5–316 μg kg^?1, and 135.5–241.6 μg kg^?1 for shortcake, digestives, cookies, shortbread, wafers, crackers, Pringles, and cabin, respectively. The concentrations of Σ8 carcinogenic PAHs in the samples ranged from not detected (nd)–323.3 μg kg^?1, 15.7–138 μg kg^?1, 9.7–312.9 μg kg^?1, nd–331.7 μg kg^?1, nd–220.9 μg kg^?1, nd–53.3 μg kg^?1, 18.4–56.6 μg kg^?1, and 6.6–170.8 μg kg^?1 for shortcake, digestives, cookies, shortbread, wafers, crackers, Pringles, and cabin, respectively. The margin of exposure (MOE), based on PAH8 as an indicator for the occurrence and effects of PAHs in food, was less than 10,000, the serious health effects value, in 30% and 8% of the brands for the child and adult scenarios, respectively.     

Hair Selenium Levels in Hepatic Steatosis Patients

The purpose of this study was to assess hair selenium levels of liver patients suffering from hepatic simple steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in central areas of China. Selenium was measured by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with the hydride generation system. The levels of selenium in healthy individuals ranged between 0.3 and 0.9 μg/g, and mean hair selenium levels in the male population and female population were 0.59?±?0.18 and 0.57?±?0.15 μg/g, respectively. These concentrations did not vary significantly (P?>?0.05) in relation to the gender. One hundred-eighteen individuals of both sexes aged between 15 and 60 years with hepatic simple steatosis and NASH were selected for this study. The mean and standard deviation of hair selenium concentrations observed in male and female patients with hepatic simple steatosis were 0.54?±?0.16 and 0.50?±?0.15 μg/g, respectively, while the mean and standard deviation of hair selenium concentrations observed in male and female patients with NASH were 0.40?±?0.14 and 0.41?±?0.12 μg/g. Analysis of t test showed a significant difference between NASH (P?<?0.001) patients in hair selenium concentrations when compared with controls.     

Distribution,Levels, and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Singed Cattle Hide

Human beings are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from various occupational, environmental, and dietary sources. The study was carried out in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana to assess the levels of PAHs in treated and untreated cattle hide and the associated health risks thereof. Treated cattle hide (wele) is one of the most well-patronized meat products in Ghana. A total of 90, treated (n = 36), untreated (n = 36), and control (n = 18) cattle hide samples were treated and analyzed using a gas chromatography flame ionization detection (GC/FID) technique. The total PAH concentration in the treated cattle hide ranged from 5.9 μg/kg naphthalene to 719.9 μg/kg benzo[b]fluoranthene. The total PAHs in untreated hide ranged from 57.6 μg/kg naphthalene to 19840.9 μg/kg benzo[b]fluoranthene. The amount of PAHs in the control hide, however, ranged from non-detectable for many of the PAHs to 0.5 μg/kg for fluorene. The carcinogenic risk value associated with the consumption of treated hide in children ranged between 1.0 × 10^?3 and 9.4 × 10^?3 whereas that of adults ranged between 1.9 × 10^?4 and 2.1 × 10^?5. This implies that the continuous consumption of heavily burnt cattle hide may not exempt the consumers from all the possible health cases associated with PAHs.     

Source apportionment and risk assessment of PAHs in Brisbane River sediment,Australia

Sediment samples collected over a 3-year period from Brisbane River, Australia, were analysed for fifteen (15) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The total PAH concentrations varied from 148 to 3079 ng/g with a mean concentration of 849 ± 646 ng/g. The study revealed that PAH input into the river was primarily dominated by pyrogenic sources as evidenced by the predominance of the high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs. Temporal variations of PAHs can be linked to the level of urbanization, with continuous input of combustion related PAHs in the commercial area of the river. Inherent deficiencies in using a single source identification/apportionment approach were overcome by using diagnostic ratios, principal component analysis/absolute principal component scores (PCA/APCS) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). Both, PCA/APCS and PMF resolved four (4) identical factors or sources of PAHs, namely: gasoline emissions, diesel emissions, biomass burning and natural gas combustion. Diagnostic ratios, PCA/APCS and PMF analysis indicated that vehicular emissions were the principal sources especially within the lower section of the river while biomass burning had moderate contribution. The distribution, temporal trend and source apportionment suggest the containment of industrial-derived sources of PAHs in the river. From an ecological point of view, the risk posed by PAHs in the Brisbane River sediment appears to be low. Nevertheless, when the investigated sites were ranked using multi-criteria decision making methods(MCDM) the commercial stratum was the most contaminated. Assessment of potential risks posed by incidental dermal exposure to PAHs revealed some degree of cancer risk, especially to children.