Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from the Old Yellow River Estuary, China: occurrence, sources, characterization and correlation with the relocation history of the Yellow River

Zijiao Yuan; Guijian Liu; Ruwei Wang; Chunnian Da

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.08.024

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from the Old Yellow River Estuary, China: occurrence, sources, characterization and correlation with the relocation history of the Yellow River

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2014 Nov:109:169-76. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.08.024. Epub 2014 Sep 7.

Authors

Zijiao Yuan¹, Guijian Liu², Ruwei Wang³, Chunnian Da⁴

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and the Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China; State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710075, Shaanxi, China; University of Science and Technology of China-City University of Hong Kong Joint Advanced Research Centre, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China.
² CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and the Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China; State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an 710075, Shaanxi, China; University of Science and Technology of China-City University of Hong Kong Joint Advanced Research Centre, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China. Electronic address: lgj@ustc.edu.cn.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and the Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China; University of Science and Technology of China-City University of Hong Kong Joint Advanced Research Centre, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu, China.
⁴ CAS Key Laboratory of Crust-Mantle Materials and the Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China.

PMID: 25203973
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.08.024

Abstract

The levels of 16 USEPA priority PAHs were determined in surface sediments and one dated sediment core from the abandoned Old Yellow River Estuary, China. Total PAH concentrations in the surface sediments ranged from 100.4 to 197.3 ng g(-1) dry weight and the total toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ(carc)) values of the carcinogenic PAHs were very low. An evaluation of PAH sources based on diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis suggested that PAHs in the surface sediments mainly derived from combustion sources. The total PAH concentrations altered significantly with year of deposition and showed quite different patterns of change compared with other studies: it is hypothesized that the principal cause of these changes is the relocation of the course of the Yellow River to the sea in 1976 and 1996.

Keywords: Dated sediment core; PAHs; Relocation history; Surface sediments.

Publication types

Historical Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cesium Radioisotopes / analysis
China
Estuaries*
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Geologic Sediments / analysis*
History, 20th Century
History, 21st Century
Lead Radioisotopes / analysis
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / history
Principal Component Analysis
Rivers / chemistry*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*
Water Pollutants, Chemical / history

Substances

Cesium Radioisotopes
Lead Radioisotopes
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Water Pollutants, Chemical