Identification of specific organic contaminants for estimating the contribution of the Elbe river to the pollution of the German Bight

• Published in: Organic geochemistry 2000-12, Vol.31 (12), p.1713-1731
• Main Authors: SCHWARZBAUER, J, LITTKE, R, WEIGELT, V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brackish; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Freshwater; Geochemistry; Germany, Elbe R; Germany, German Bight; Marine; Marine and continental quaternary; Pollution, environment geology; Soil and rock geochemistry; Surficial geology
• ISSN: 0146-6380; 1873-5290
• DOI: 10.1016/s0146-6380(00)00076-0

GC/MS analyses have been applied to sediment samples of the German Bight in order to document the state of organic contamination as well as to identify specific molecular markers that are appropriate to estimate the discharge of anthropogenic compounds derived from the Elbe river. Detailed screening analyses revealed a wide variety of organic lipophilic compounds of biogenic, petrogenic as well as anthropogenic origin. Potential marker compounds indicating the contribution of the Elbe river could be attributed mainly to the chlorinated aromatic contaminants. Specifically, these include tetra- to hexachlorobenzenes, mono- to dichloronaphthalenes, hexachlorobutadiene, tetrabutyl tin, alkylsulfonic acid phenylesters, 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexahydro-1,1,6,6-tetramethyl-4-isopropyl-as-indacene and 4,4'-dichlorodiphenylsulfide. These compounds are suitable to indicate the spatial distribution of Elbe river derived organic matter.