Fate and deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica

Shengkai Cao; Guangshui Na; Ruijing Li; Linke Ge; Hui Gao; Shuaichen Jin; Chao Hou; Yunze Gao; Zhifeng Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.045

Fate and deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica

Mar Pollut Bull. 2018 Dec:137:533-541. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.045. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Authors

Shengkai Cao¹, Guangshui Na², Ruijing Li³, Linke Ge³, Hui Gao³, Shuaichen Jin³, Chao Hou¹, Yunze Gao¹, Zhifeng Zhang³

Affiliations

¹ School of Marine Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas (SOA), National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, China.
² Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas (SOA), National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, China. Electronic address: gsna@nmemc.org.cn.
³ Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas (SOA), National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, Dalian 116023, China.

PMID: 30503465
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.045

Abstract

Fifteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in seawater and atmosphere of Bransfield Strait. The concentration of ∑₁₅[PAH] in the atmosphere ranged from 3.75 to 8.53 ng m^-3, and three-ring PAHs were the most abundant compounds. Dissolved ∑₁₅[PAH] in seawater ranged from 5.42 to 34.37 ng L^-1, and the level of PAHs was markedly different on each side of the strait. The air-sea gas exchange process and molecular diagnostic ratios were calculated, results showed that the environmental behavior of PAHs was net deposition along this cruise. Given the changes in global transport routes of pollutants under global warming, the role of long-range transport (LRT) may be enhanced. Taking the Antarctic as a sink of PAHs due to the LRT and net deposition, PAHs will continue to load into the seawater of this area via atmospheric deposition, which contributes to improving our understanding of the environmental behavior of PAHs.

Keywords: Air–seawater exchange; Antarctic; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants / analysis*
Antarctic Regions
Atmosphere
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Global Warming
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
Seawater
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Air Pollutants
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Water Pollutants, Chemical