Pollution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from farmland around the domestic refuse dump

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils have been paying more attention. The PAHs are one of mainly harmful components in landfill leachate. Contents and composition of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) listed for prior control by U.S. EPA in soil samples from farmland around the open-dump in the suburban linking the urban and rural in SuBei area, Jiangsu province were detected with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the contents of PAHs decreased with distance from landfill. The total PAHs (∑PAHs) content in contaminated soils (an average of 1 208.51 μg·kg-1) was significantly higher than that in control soils (509.25 μg·kg-1). Particularly,the contents of four rings PAH components refractory and less volatile were greatly increased in contaminated soils. According to the criteria of Maliszewska-Kordybach,the contents of PAHs in contaminated soils were above the medium pollution standard, which would lead to huge risks for surroundings.