Multivariate assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of the Beijiang, a tributary of the Pearl River in Southern China.
To estimate the severity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in the upper sediment of the Beijiang River, 42 sediment samples were analyzed for the presence of 16 key PAHs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentrations of PAH in the sediment ranged from 44 to 8,921 ng g(-1) dry weight. The four- to six-ring PAHs, contributing >50% to PAHs in 34 of the 42 sites, were the dominant species. Based on a principal component analysis, combined with multivariate linear regression, it became clear that the most important contributors of PAH were fossil fuel combustion (48%), diesel emissions plus oil spillage (33%), and coke combustion (19%). The surface sediments of Beijiang River were grossly contaminated by PAHs mainly derived from combustion.
College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
Mingwei
M
Song
Min
M
Gao
Panfei
P
Wang
Kaizhi
K
Xie
Hui
H
Zhang
D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D016014:Linear Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical