Estimation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Groundwater from Campania Plain: Spatial Distribution, Source Attribution and Health Cancer Risk Evaluation

• Published in: Toxics (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 5; p. 435
• Main Authors: Montuori, Paolo, De Rosa, Elvira, Cerino, Pellegrino, Pizzolante, Antonio, Nicodemo, Federico, Gallo, Alfonso, Rofrano, Giuseppe, De Vita, Sabato, Limone, Antonio, Triassi, Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06-05-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: aquifer; Aquifers; Campania region; Cancer; Climate change; Contamination; diagnostic ratio; Environmental aspects; Environmental economics; Groundwater; Groundwater quality; Health aspects; Health risks; ILCR; Isomers; Jenks method; Laboratories; PAHs distribution; Pollutants; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Population; Risk assessment; Risk factors; Sediments; Spatial distribution; Surface water; Temperature; Testing; Water analysis; Water quality; Water sampling; Water, Underground; Italy; ILCR; aquifer; diagnostic ratio; Jenks method; PAHs distribution; Campania region
• ISSN: 2305-6304; 2305-6304
• DOI: 10.3390/toxics11050435

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 1168 groundwater samples of the Campania Plain (Southern Italy), taken using a municipal environmental pressure index (MIEP), and to analyze the distribution of these compounds to determine source PAHs using ratios of isomers diagnostic. Lastly, this study also aimed to estimate the potential health cancer risk in groundwaters. The data indicated that the highest concentration of PAHs was found in groundwater from Caserta Province and the contents of BghiP, Phe, and Nap were detected in the samples. The spatial distribution of these pollutants was evaluated using the Jenks method; moreover, the data indicated that incremental lifetime cancer risk ILCR
ranged from 7.31 × 10
to 4.96 × 10
, while ILCR
ranged from 4.32 × 10
to 2.93 × 10
. These research findings may provide information about the Campania Plain's groundwater quality and aid in the development of preventative measures to lessen PAH contamination in groundwater.