Distribution and transfer rules of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil-wheat ecosystems in China

The translocation and accumulation patterns of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil-crop system have important implications for the fate of PAHs and human health. This study summarized the concentrations of 16 priority PAHs in the soils and various parts of mature winter wheat in China, sourced from a screening of previous literature in English and Chinese databases. The study analyzes the distribution characteristics, transfer patterns, and human health risks of PAHs in sites studied in Shaanxi, Henan, and Shandong provinces. The results showed that the concentrations of Σ 16 PAHs in the rhizosphere soil of wheat ranged from 10.30 to 893.68 ng/g, in descending order of Shaanxi > Henan > average > Shandong. In sites with mild to moderate contamination (200 < Σ 16 PAHs < 600 ng/g; i.e., Henan and Shaanxi), the concentration of Σ 16 PAHs in the roots was higher than that in the stems or the grains, while in contamination-free sites (Σ 16 PAHs < 200 ng/g; i.e., Shandong), the highest concentration of Σ 16 PAHs was found in the stems. Generally, the concentrations of PAHs increased in the order of roots–stems–grains. The predominant PAHs in each part of wheat were 2- or 3-ring compounds, with five- or six-ring PAHs being more prevalent in wheat from Shanghe, Shandong. The bioaccumulation factors of different wheat parts from Shaanxi and Henan were consistently smaller than 1, and low- and medium-ring (2–4 rings) PAHs had bigger bioconcentration factors than high-ring (5–6 rings) PAHs. However, the accumulation of PAHs in the aboveground parts of wheat was larger than that in the underground parts of the Shandong sites. The linear regression relationship between the octanol–water partition coefficient and root concentration factor (RCF) of PAHs reflected that low and medium-ring PAHs were more easily absorbed by wheat roots than high-ring PAHs in Shaanxi and Henan. Our assessment of the health risks of oral wheat intake in adults and children by the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) model found a potential carcinogenic risk for both age groups in each province, with higher risks in adults than in children.