Depositional history of polychlorinated biphenyls in a dated sediment core from the northwestern Arabian Gulf.
The vertical distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was measured in a dated sediment core from the northwestern Arabian Gulf to reconstruct their depositional history. The downcore profile showed an increase in concentrations from depth to a subsurface maximum of approximately 1,500 pg g(-1) in approximately 1991, followed by an exponential decrease to the sediment-water interface. Current concentrations of ΣPCBs are similar to levels predating the episodic input of PCBs in sediments dated coincident with the 1991 Arabian Gulf war. The spike in ΣPCB concentrations during the war may be related to the destruction of PCB-laden transformers during the conflict. The 15-fold decrease in ΣPCB concentrations from the period of maximum flux to prewar levels suggests that the factors delivering PCBs to sediments at present are similar to those that that existed before the war-related inputs.
Environment and Urban Development Division, Department of Environmental Sciences, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Safat, Kuwait. bgevao@kisr.edu.kw
Bondi
B
Gevao
Abdul Aziz
AA
Aba
Abdul Nabi
AN
Al-Ghadban
Saif
S
Uddin
D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D019156:Indian Ocean; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls