Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations and fluxes were measured in 210Pb dated sediment cores taken from nine lakes in four regions identified as susceptible to acidification. Calculated PAH accumulations were compared with historic S emissions, accumulation of sedimentary S and anthropogenic metal accumulations to determine if PAH could be used as an indicator of combustion-derived sulfate deposition. Comparisons between regions indicated that the Adirondacks have a significantly higher burden of PAH than do northern New England, the northern Great Lakes States and northern Florida. This difference likely results from significant upwind PAH sources to the Adirondack lakes. Detailed investigation of the largest lake in the study set, Big Moose Lake, indicates that PAH may serve as conservative, combustion indicators in large lakes. In this lake, PAH fluxes and concentrations were significantly correlated with historical S emission rates. These data suggest that PAH measured in sediment cores from large lakes can serve as indicators of past combustion product deposition.
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