Inland navigation: PAH inventories in soil and vegetation after EU fuel regulation 2009/30/EC

In January 2011, fuel quality in inland water vessels was changed by EU regulation 2009/30/EC, aiming at improving air quality along waterways. The authors hypothesized that the implementation of this regulation both lowered the total deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and changed their composition in river valleys. They analyzed parent-, alkylated- and thio-PAHs in soil and vine leaves, at two waterways (Rhine and Moselle, Germany), as well as in one ship-free reference area (Ahr, Germany). Samples were taken annually (2010-2013) in transects perpendicular to the rivers. They did not find any relation of PAH concentration and composition on vine leaves to inland navigation, likely because atmospheric exchange processes distorted ship-specific accumulation patterns. The authors did find, however, an accumulation of ship-borne PAHs in topsoil near the waterways (1543 +/- 788 and 581+/- 25 2ng g⁻¹ at Moselle and Rhine, respectively), leading to larger PAH concentrations at the Moselle Valley than at the reference area (535 +/- 404 ng g⁻¹) prior to EU fuel regulation. After fuel regulation, the PAH concentrations decreased in topsoils of the Moselle and Rhine Valley by 35 +/- 9 and 62 +/- 28%, respectively. These changes were accompanied by increasing proportions of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and low molecular weight PAHs. Both, changes in PAH concentrations and composition were traceable within 200 and 350m distance to the river front of Moselle and Rhine, respectively, and likely favored by erosion of topsoil in vineyards. The authors conclude that the EU regulation was effective in improving soil and thus also air quality within only three years. The impact was greater and spatially more relevant at the Rhine, which may be attributed to the larger traffic volume of inland navigation.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.107
• Record URL:
  • https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969717301171
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00489697
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Bläsing, Melanie
  • Amelung, Wulf
  • Schwark, Lorenz
  • Lehndorff, Eva
• Publication Date: 2017-4-15

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 19-28
• Serial:
  • Science of the Total Environment
  • Volume: 584-585
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0048-9697
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00489697

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Diesel engine exhaust gases; Inland waterways vessels; Marine diesel engines; Regulations; Soil pollution; Vegetation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
• Geographic Terms: Germany
• Subject Areas: Environment; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01679603
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 28 2018 5:19PM