[Distribution and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban soils: a review]

Abstract

With rapid urbanization, the contamination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has become one of the major factors threatening urban soil quality and human health. This paper summarized the current studies on the PAHs in urban soils, with the focus on the anthropogenic and natural factors affecting the distribution of PAHs in urban soils, analytical methods on the pollution sources of PAHs, risk assessment of urban soil contamination by PAHs, and especially, applications of geo-statistics in the spatial analysis and risk assessment of PAHs. The potential issues and research trends about the PAHs contamination of urban soils were also discussed.