Distribution, sources and ecological risk assessment of PAHs in surface sediments from the Luan River Estuary, China

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2016-01, Vol.102 (1), p.223-229
• Main Authors: Zhang, Daolai, Liu, Jinqing, Jiang, Xuejun, Cao, Ke, Yin, Ping, Zhang, Xunhua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: China; Ecological risk assessment; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Estuaries; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Luan River Estuary; Marine; PAHs; Pollution; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Principal Component Analysis; Risk Assessment; Rivers - chemistry; Sediment; Source; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.10.043

The distribution, sources and risk assessment of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of surface sediments in the Luan River Estuary, China, have been investigated in the research. The results indicated that the total concentrations of 16 PAHs in surface sediments of the Luan River Estuary ranged from 5.1 to 545.1ngg−1dw with a mean value of 120.8ngg−1dw, which is relatively low in comparison with other estuaries around the world. The PAHs in the study area were mainly originated from pyrogenic sources. Besides, PAHs may be contaminated by petrogenic PAHs as indicated by the selected ratios of PAHs, the 2-tailed Pearson correlation analysis and principal components analysis at different sites. The result of the ecological risk assessment shows little negative effect for most individual PAHs in surface sediments of the Luan River Estuary, China.