Quantification and source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in core sediments from Sundarban mangrove wetland, India.
The distribution and potential sources of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment cores (<63 microm particle size) of the Sundarban mangrove wetland, northeastern coast of Bay of Bengal (India), were investigated by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs ( summation operator(16)PAHs) ranged from 132 to 2938 ng/g, with a mean of 634 ng/g, and the sum of 10 out of 16 priority PAHs ( summation operator(10)PAH) varied from 123 to 2441 ng/g, with a mean of 555 ng/g, and the 5 carcinogenic PAHs (benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and dibenz[a,h]anthracene) accounted for 68-73% of the priority PAHs. Maximum concentrations of the sediment core were obtained at subsoil depth of 12-16 cm. The prevalence of four to six aromatic ring PAHs and cross-plots of specific isomer ratios such as phenanthrene/anthracene, fluoranthene/pyrene, and methylphenanthrenes/phenanthrene suggested the predominance of wood and coal combustion sources, the atmospheric deposition, and surface runoff to be the major transport pathways. A good correlation existed between the benzo[a]pyrene level and the total PAH concentrations, making this compound a potential molecular marker for PAH pollution. Total TEQ (S) (carc) values calculated for samples varied from 6.95 ng/g TEQ (S) (carc) to 119 ng/g TEQ (S) (carc) , with an average of 59 ng/g dry weight TEQ (S) (carc) . The baseline data can be used for regular monitoring, considering the industrial and agricultural growth around this coastal environment.
Domínguez
C
C
Environmental Chemistry Department, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain.
Sarkar
S K
SK
Bhattacharya
A
A
Chatterjee
M
M
Bhattacharya
B D
BD
Jover
E
E
Albaigés
J
J
Bayona
J M
JM
Alam
Md A
MA
Satpathy
K K
KK
D032407:Avicennia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007194:India; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D053833:Wetlands
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical