Abstract
The Xiaoqing River Estuary is an anthropogenic small estuary in North China, which is characterized by low water discharge but high pollutant concentrations. In order to grasp the existing state and prevent the potential high ecological risk, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated from freshwater to seawater in 2018 in the estuary. The results show that, dissolved (DPAHs), particulate (PPAHs) and sediment (SPAHs) PAHs ranged at 598.47–1326.42 ng/L, 1103.71–12876.07 ng/L and 469.64–6581.08 ng/g dry weight respectively. DPAHs and PPAHs were primarily composed by 2–3 rings PAHs for 73% and 71% correspondingly, while SPAHs by 4–6 rings for 61%. PAHs compositions and distributions were generally controlled by local input from wharf and sewage, followed by dilution process, and then adsorption and desorption processes. Further than that, DPAHs were significantly influenced by most physicochemical factors, PPAHs showed relationship with SPM, nutrients and microorganisms, while SPAHs correlated more with salinity, grain size and microorganisms. PPAHs and SPAHs were highly transformed and removed out off the estuary by about 50%. Although being diluted and removed out largely, PAHs in the Xiaoqing River Estuary should be paid close attention for its exceeding pollution state and higher ecological risks.
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