Relationship between levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in pine needles and socio-geographic parameters

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Nuno Ratola (Author) FEUP; Arminda Alves (Author) FEUP; José Manuel Amigo (Author) Other; Raquel Fernández-Varela (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Environmental Management

Vol. 156

Pages: 52-61

ISSN: 0301-4797

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 10 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

CORDIS: Technological sciences

Associated Projects

SAFEPINE - SAFEPINE - Avaliação da contaminação de pinheiros por poluentes emergentes

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00A-99A

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.03.019

Abstract (EN): The ability of pine needles to capture polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the surrounding air is well known. In this work the current knowledge of this affinity will be enhanced, investigating the plausible links between the concentrations of PAHs found in pine needles collected in different sites in Portugal, and several socio-geographic variables with environmental relevance. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) has proven to be a suitable and innovative technique to look for relationships within environmental datasets. In the current work, CCA will simultaneously include chemical information (concentration of PAHs found in pine needles) and socio-geographic information associated to the sampling areas. In order to be more robust in these conclusions, Pinus pinea and Pinus pinaster species were considered separately, allowing an accurate direct comparison between them. The information concerning the different seasons and land occupation was also taken into account. Our results demonstrate how CCA can be a useful tool in environmental impact assessment, and highlight the importance of pine needles as trustful biomonitors of the influence of socio-geographic parameters on the levels of PAHs in a given area.

Language: Portuguese

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10