Source-sink spatial mismatch characteristics and health risks of soil BTEX in a decommissioned industrial site on a coastal plain

WANG Lei; XIE Li; SUN Rui; TAN Xuejun; ZHANG Xiang; JIANG Wenchen

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202608027

Volume 44 Issue 8

Aug. 2026

Turn off MathJax

Article Contents

Article Navigation > ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING > 2026 > 44(8): 281-289

WANG Lei, XIE Li, SUN Rui, TAN Xuejun, ZHANG Xiang, JIANG Wenchen. Source-sink spatial mismatch characteristics and health risks of soil BTEX in a decommissioned industrial site on a coastal plain[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2026, 44(8): 281-289. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202608027

Citation:

WANG Lei, XIE Li, SUN Rui, TAN Xuejun, ZHANG Xiang, JIANG Wenchen. Source-sink spatial mismatch characteristics and health risks of soil BTEX in a decommissioned industrial site on a coastal plain[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2026, 44(8): 281-289. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202608027

Citation:

WANG Lei, XIE Li, SUN Rui, TAN Xuejun, ZHANG Xiang, JIANG Wenchen. Source-sink spatial mismatch characteristics and health risks of soil BTEX in a decommissioned industrial site on a coastal plain[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2026, 44(8): 281-289. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202608027

PDF( 2968 KB)

Source-sink spatial mismatch characteristics and health risks of soil BTEX in a decommissioned industrial site on a coastal plain

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202608027

1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China;
2. Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200092, China

Received Date: 2026-04-22

Abstract

Abstract

A large number of industrial enterprises in China have relocated from their former sites， leaving behind soil contamination problems， particularly volatile organic compounds such as BTEX， whose environmental migration and health risks have attracted significant attention. Owing to the special hydrogeological conditions of coastal plains—including a high groundwater table and interbedded sedimentary strata—the spatial distribution and migration patterns of contaminants in these areas differ markedly from those in inland regions. This study took a decommissioned resin plant site in the coastal plain of the Yangtze River Delta as the research object and systematically investigated the spatial distribution， migration patterns， and health risks of BTEX contamination in the soil. The results showed that seven BTEX compounds were detected in the soil， with detection rates ranging from 24.3% to 47.1%. Among them， the maximum concentrations of benzene， ethylbenzene， and m/p-xylene exceeded the screening values for Class I construction land in China. The contaminant plume was mainly distributed in the product warehouse area in the southern part of the site， while the potential pollution source was located in the upstream wastewater treatment unit， presenting a “source-sink” spatial mismatch phenomenon. The vertical distribution of contaminants exhibited a differentiated pattern of “shallow-layer volatilization， middle-layer enrichment， and deep-layer retardation”. Significant enrichment occurred in the silty clay layer at depths of 3 to 6 m， while concentrations sharply decreased in the mucky clay layer. MIP multi-parameter detection showed that major components such as benzene and toluene migrated overall， whereas chlorobenzene exhibited delayed migration owing to its strong adsorption affinity. Benzene was the most prominent contaminant of concern for health risks： its carcinogenic risks （up to 7.42×10^-⁴） and non-carcinogenic hazard quotients （up to 38.24） both exceeded acceptable levels. Inhalation of gaseous contaminants from underlying soil into indoor air contributed over 87% of the total risk of benzene， making it the dominant exposure pathway. This study reveals the unique characteristics of contaminant migration and risk formation under conditions of a high water table and interbedded strata in coastal plains. These findings can provide a scientific basis for the accurate investigation， risk assessment， and remediation of similar industrially contaminated sites.
- soil contamination,
- MIP detection,
- BTEX,
- spatial differentiation,
- health risk assessment

FullText(HTML)

References(21)

References

[1]	ZHUANG G T. Current situation and prevention& control strategies of soil pollution in China[J]. Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences，2015，30（4）：477-483. 庄国泰. 我国土壤污染现状与防控策略[J]. 中国科学院院刊，2015，30（4）：477-483.
[2]	AN Y J. Toxicity of benzene，toluene，ethylbenzene，and xylene（BTEX）mixtures to Sorghum bicolor and Cucumis sativus.[J]. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination& Toxicology，2004，72（5）：1006-1011.
[3]	WANG H，WANG Y. Study on influencing factors of volatile behavior of BTEX in soil[J]. Environmental Protection Science，2025，51（1）：107-117. 王浩，王月. 土壤中苯系物挥发行为影响因素研究[J]. 环境保护科学，2025，51（1）：107-117.
[4]	LAI X L，FENG L Q，WU J J，et al. Analysis and prevention suggestions of soil pollution from geological perspective[J]. Environmental Ecology，2025，7（12）：147-153. 赖兴兰，冯利强，吴晶晶，等. 地质学视角下的土壤污染分析与防控建议[J]. 环境生态学，2025，7（12）：147-153.
[5]	WANG J Z，ZHANG G H，YAN M J，et al. Spatial relationship between chemical characteristics of soil and shallow groundwater in Bohai Rim Plain[J]. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment，2018，32（8）：128-134. 王金哲，张光辉，严明疆，等. 环渤海平原土壤和浅层地下水化学特征的空间关系研究[J]. 干旱区资源与环境，2018，32（8）：128-134.
[6]	GAO Q. Simulation and application of pollutant migration in soil-groundwater system of coastal plain[D]. Taiyuan：North University of China，2024. 高琪. 滨海平原土壤-地下水污染物迁移过程模拟及其应用[D]. 太原：中北大学，2024.
[7]	WANG Y，CHEN L，YANG Y，et al. Simulation of BTEX migration and transformation in water table fluctuation zone based on TMVOC[J]. Research of Environmental Sciences，2020，33（3）：634-642. 王颖，陈雷，杨洋，等. 基于TMVOC的地下水位波动带苯系物迁移转化模拟[J]. 环境科学研究，2020，33（3）：634-642.
[8]	ZHOU H，ZHANG L H，SHUANG S Q，et al. Pollution characteristics of BTEX and its correlation with hydrogeology in benzene production workshop of coking plant[J]. Environmental Protection and Circular Economy，2025，45（12）：50-57. 周虹，张立红，双生晴，等. 焦化厂制苯车间苯系物污染特征与水文地质相关性分析[J]. 环境保护与循环经济，2025，45（12）：50-57.
[9]	MA J. Problems and countermeasures in investigation and assessment of volatile organic contaminated sites in China[J]. Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering，2021，15（1）：3-7. 马杰. 我国挥发性有机污染地块调查评估中存在的问题及对策建议[J]. 环境工程学报，2021，15（1）：3-7.
[10]	American Society for Testing Materials. ASTM standard D7352-07，Standard practice for direct push technology for volatile contaminant logging with the membrane interphase probe（MIP）[S]. 2007.
[11]	LI J B，WANG S，DAI X L，et al. Application of MIP system in the investigation of a site contaminated by volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons[J]. Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering，2022，16（2）：546-554. 李佳斌，王硕，代小丽，等. MIP 系统在某挥发性氯代烃污染地块调查中的应用[J]. 环境工程学报，2022，16（2）：546-554.
[12]	ZHAO Z N. In-situ detection mechanism of membrane interface probe（MIP）for chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated sites under multi-field and multi-phase conditions[D]. Nanjing：Southeast University，2023. 赵泽宁. 多场多相体系下氯代烃污染场地膜界面探测器（MIP）原位检测机制研究[D]. 南京：东南大学，2023.
[13]	LI C，XI W L，BI T，et al. Application of rapid VOCs detection in the investigation of contaminated sites left by relocated chemical enterprises[J]. The Administration and Technique of Environmental Monitoring，2018，30（3）：53-55. 李超，西伟力，毕涛，等. VOCs快速检测在某化工企业搬迁遗留污染场地调查中的应用[J]. 环境监测管理与技术，2018，30（3）：53-55.
[14]	WU M，CAI G J，LIU S Y，et al. Review on membrane interface probe（MIP）for in-situ evaluation of volatile organic contaminated sites[J]. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical Engineering，2019，41（S1）：29-32. 武猛，蔡国军，刘松玉，等. 挥发性有机污染场地原位评价的膜界面探测器MIP研究综述[J]. 岩土工程学报，2019，41（增刊1）：29-32.
[15]	ZHOU J Z，SHU W K，GAO Y，et al. Accuracy evaluation of photoionization detector（PID）for volatile pollutants in soil and groundwater[J]. Water Purification Technology，2017，36（4）：69-73. 周吉峙，舒伟康，高原，等. 光离子化检测器（PID）用于土壤及地下水挥发性污染物检测准确性评价[J]. 净水技术，2017，36（4）：69-73.
[16]	中华人民共和国生态环境部. 建设用地土壤污染状况调查技术导则：HJ 25.1—2019[S]. 北京：中国环境科学出版社，2019. Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China. Technical guidelines for investigation on soil contamination of land for construction：HJ 25.1—2019[S]. Beijing：China Environmental Science Press，2019.
[17]	SUN P H. Application status of direct push drilling technology in contaminated site investigation[J]. Drilling Engineering，2021，48（1）：95-102. 孙平贺. 直推钻探技术在污染场地调查中的应用现状研究[J]. 钻探工程，2021，48（1）：95-102.
[18]	中华人民共和国环境保护部. 土壤和沉积物挥发性有机物的测定吹扫捕集/气相色谱-质谱法：HJ 605—2011[S]. 北京：中国环境科学出版社，2011. Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China. Soil and sediment—Determination of volatile organic compounds—Purge and trap/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method：HJ 605—2011[S]. Beijing：China Environmental Science Press，2011.
[19]	中华人民共和国生态环境部. 土壤环境质量建设用地土壤污染风险管控标准（试行）：GB 36600—2018[S]. 北京：中国环境科学出版社，2018. Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China. Soil environmental quality—Risk control standard for soil contamination of land for construction（trial）：GB 36600—2018[S]. Beijing：China Environmental Science Press，2018.
[20]	ZHOU L Y. Distribution characteristics of chlorinated hydrocarbons in contaminated sites of typical organic chemical plants and risk assessment based on Monte Carlo simulation[J]. Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology，2024，14（1）：98-111. 周礼洋. 典型有机化工厂污染地块氯代烃分布特征及基于蒙特卡洛模拟的风险评估[J]. 环境工程技术学报，2024，14（1）：98-111.
[21]	WU M，ZHAO Z，CAI G，et al. In situ evaluation of soil contaminated by total petroleum hydrocarbons using membrane interface probe：a case study from Nanjing，China[J]. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment，2022，81（4）：140.