Polychlorinated biphenyls in sediments of the Yellow Sea: distribution, source identification and flux estimation.
Although there is no direct major riverine input, a large quantity of waste produced in mainland China and Korea is transported continuously to the Yellow Sea (YS) through atmospheric deposition, currents and tides; therefore, the environment is distinctly influenced by man-made pollution. This study focuses on the associated pollutant transport mechanisms and fluxes by sampling polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs (Σ24PCB) in YS sediments ranged between 99 pg/g and 3.13 ng/g of dry sediment (with a mean value of 715 pg/g). PCBs produced unintentionally by industrial and other processes appeared to be the major source of PCBs in the sediments, accounting for 60.5%. Industrially synthesized PCBs with 3Cl and 5Cl accounted for 15.5% and 24.0%, respectively. PCBs were mainly from atmospheric deposition (84.5%), followed by continental runoff (15.5%). The average atmospheric deposition flux of technical PCBs was 789 ng/(m(2)a) and flux of surface runoff was 2.27 ng/L.
Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
Xiaoyong
X
Duan
Yanxia
Y
Li
Xianguo
X
Li
Dahai
D
Zhang
Mengfang
M
Li
D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Input flux; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Source identification; Yellow Sea