Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) deposition to and exchange at the air–water interface of Luhu, an urban lake in Guangzhou, China

Urban lakes are vulnerable to the accumulation of semivolatile organic compounds, such as PAHs from wet and dry atmospheric deposition. Little was reported on the seasonal patterns of atmospheric deposition of PAHs under Asian monsoon climate. Bulk (dry + wet) particle deposition, air–water diffusion exchange, and vapour wet deposition of PAHs in a small urban lake in Guangzhou were estimated based on a year-round monitoring. The total PAH particle deposition fluxes observed were 0.44–3.46 μg m−2 day−1. The mean air–water diffusive exchange flux was 20.7 μg m−2 day−1. The vapour deposition fluxes of PAHs ranged 0.15–8.26 μg m−2 day−1. Remarkable seasonal variations of particulate PAH deposition, air–water exchange fluxes and vapour wet deposition were influenced by seasonal changes in meteorological parameters. The deposition fluxes were predominantly controlled by the precipitation intensity in wet season whereas by atmospheric concentration in dry season.