Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Contamination In Sediments Research Articles

Assessing the risk of a 50-year-old dump site in the Baltic Sea by combining chemical analysis, bioaccumulation, and ecotoxicity

Purpose During the late 1950s and early 1960s, industrial waste material highly enriched with various contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) was dumped in the inner Bay of Mecklenburg, western Baltic Sea. Between 2002 and 2004, a research program was initiated using chemical analysis in combination with bioanalytical techniques to assess the extent and variability in contamination at this dump site (DS). The data were compared to a reference area (RS) with similar environmental conditions, which is representative of the western Baltic Sea. Materials and methods Twelve PAHs were investigated to assess their ecological hazard, as theywere identifiedas major pollutants in the dumped material. In addition to analyzing the actual PAH contamination status in the sediments, PAHs measured in the soft tissue of Arctica islandica were also used as an indicator of contaminant bioaccumulation. A biotest battery was applied to determine the toxic effects of contaminants in the sediment. Results and discussion Significantly elevated PAH concentrations (sum of 12 PAHs) of ∼3,000 ng g −1 dw and higher bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were determined in the soft body tissue of A. islandica collected at DS (t test, p=0.025). The results also showed that the sediment PAH contamination was significantly higher at DS (1,952–5,466 ng g −1 dw) than at RS (1,384– 2,315 ng g −1 dw). The results revealed a major heterogeneity in the PAH concentration at DS due to an attempt to cover the toxic material with clean clay. This resulted in a more heterogeneous distribution of the dump material rather than covering it up completely. However, not all relevant contaminants were included in this study, not only because it is too costly to determine them all but also because unidentified contaminants present at concentrations below the limit of detection cannot be measured. Bioassays were used to fill this gap in the hazard assessment in a cost-effective way by investigating the possible effects of sediment contamination on benthic organisms. The results showed a high variability and magnitude of growth and luminescence inhibition. Bacterialcontact tests withmarineorganisms showeda high toxicity response (>80 % inhibition) from DS sediments. In contrast, the luminescent bacteria test (Vibrio fischeri) showed equivalent effects of sediments from both DS and RS. Conclusions The spatial distribution of toxicity in DS, the bioaccumulation in mussels and the analytical evidence of

Molecular and isotopic identification of PAH sources in a highly industrialized urban estuary

Sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments in the Elizabeth River, VA, USA, a highly industrialized urban estuary, were examined using multiple source identification techniques. Large-scale historical creosote releases from former wood-treatment facilities had long been considered the dominant source of PAHs to the estuary. Employing principal component analysis (PCA) along with identification of source-specific isomer ratios, contributions from two former wood-treatment facilities were differentiated. Additionally, a significant coal contribution was determined by also incorporating compound-specific carbon isotope ratio analysis (CSIA). Use of CSIA also successfully isolated and separated the coal signature from a coal gasification signature, which could not be distinguished using only PCA and isomer ratios. The major contributors to sediment PAH contamination in the river were successfully identified, which included a former wood-treatment facility and historical and/or current coal transport and use, a source not considered in previous investigations.

Sources of PAHs to Sediments of the Elizabeth River, VA

Sediments collected from the Elizabeth River, VA, a highly contaminated subestu-ary of the James River, were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Select isomer ratios (BbF/BkF, BaA/chrysene, and IP/BghiP) and molecular weight fractions (ΣPAH202/202-276 and ΣPAH252/202-276) were identified as source indicators for two former wood-treatment facilities (Atlantic Wood and Eppinger & Russell) located on the southern branch of the Elizabeth River. These facilities are suspected as probable contributors to the high PAH contamination in sediments. Plots of the wood-treatment source indicators, along with those for coal, wood, and automotives, revealed a likely contribution from only one of the former wood-treatment facilities, in addition to the possible contribution of coal/coal gasification to PAH contamination in sediments of the main stem and southern branch of the Elizabeth River. By examining PAH isomer ratios from known or suspected sources, it is possible to distinguish multiple sources of PAHs to an ecosystem.

Application of P450RGS reporter gene system as a bioindicator of sediment PAH contamination in the vicinity of Incheon Harbor, Korea

Sixty seven sediment samples were collected from Kyeonggi Bay, Korea, including the mouth of Han River, Incheon Harbor, the Namdong industrial complex, and the open sea. Collections were conducted in December, 1995 and samples were maintained frozen (-20 °C) until analysis. Dichloromethane extracts were analysed for their content of CYP1A1-inducing compounds with a P450RGS (reporter gene system) assay, and for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sediment samples were also analysed for organic carbon (OC) content and grain size, to aid in evaluating the relationship between contamination and physical nature of the sediments. The responses of the P450RGS assay to the sediment extracts were expressed as μg of benzo[a]pyrene toxic equivalents per g dry weight (μg g-1 BaPTEQ), and these values correlated well (r2 = 0.624 with total PAHs. BaPTEQ values were also highly correlated with the OC content of the sediments. The determination of P450RGS BaPTEQ is a useful tool, because it is both a rapid and inexpensive means of assessing the potential toxicity of organic compounds in environmental sediment samples. These values represent an estimate of the levels of compounds in the sediment that are potentially available to organisms through chronic exposure to pore water or ingestion of benthic species. We believe BaPTEQ values are more useful than tables of specific PAH concentrations, if the purpose of the investigation is to either obtain a rapid screening of an area or to develop some form of ecological or human health risk assessment.

Multivariate Analysis of the PAH Contamination in the Sediments of the Bay of Biscay (France)

Abstract The contamination of marine sediments of the Bay of Biscay (France) by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated. Results were analyzed by means of an original methodology based on the use of a multivariate method and graphical tools. From this approach, it was possible to obtain a better knowledge of the PAH contamination in the marine sediments. It also allowed to underline structure-environmental distribution relationships.