Abstract
Sediments and invertebrates were sampled from 9 stormwater retention ponds (SWRPs) and 11 natural, shallow lakes in Denmark. Samples were analyzed for 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The SWRPs received urban and highway runoff from various types of drainage areas and the lakes were located in areas of various land uses. Comparing PAHs in the sediments of the SWRPs and the lakes, it was found that levels of total PAH were similar in the two aquatic systems, with median values of 0.94 and 0.63 mg·(kg·DM)−1 in sediments of SWRPs and lakes, respectively. However, the SWRP sediments tended to have higher concentrations of high-molecular-weight PAHs than the lakes. A similar pattern was seen for PAHs accumulated in invertebrates where the median of total PAH was 2.8 and 2.1 mg·(kg·DM)−1 for SWRPs and lakes, respectively. Principal component analysis on the PAH distribution in the sediments and invertebrates showed that ponds receiving highway runoff clustered with lakes in forests and farmland. The same was the case for some of the ponds receiving runoff from residential areas. Overall, results showed that sediment PAH levels in all SWRPs receiving runoff from highways were similar to the levels found in some of the investigated natural, shallow lakes, as were the sediment PAH levels from some of the residential SWRPs. Furthermore, there was no systematic trend that one type of water body exceeded environmental quality standards (EQS) values more often than others. Together this indicates that at least some SWRPs can sustain an invertebrate ecosystem without the organisms experiencing higher bioaccumulation of PAHs then what is the case in shallow lakes of the same region.
Highlights
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments
The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) levels in the stormwater retention ponds (SWRPs) were similar to what has been reported for comparable systems [37,38,39], and the concentrations in the lakes were in the upper range of what has been reported for freshwater sediments [40,41]
The concentration of total PAH in sediments and invertebrates from 9 SWRPs and the 11 lakes was comparable, indicating that the PAH load on the two types of water bodies led to somewhat similar concentration levels in their sediments and invertebrates
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Several of them are perceived as environmentally problematic, as they have been shown to be carcinogenic and tend to bioaccumulate, while some can cause endocrine disruption and have tissue-specific toxicity [1,2]. Several PAHs are viewed as priority pollutants, for example by the European Union [3]. The EU Water Framework Directive gives environmental quality standards (EQS) for water, and for some biota. Other examples are the standards put forward by the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) for the Baltic Sea or the Canadian sediment quality guidelines, setting standards for marine and freshwater sediments [4,5].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
