Increased zooplankton PAH concentrations across hydrographic fronts in the East China Sea.
The Changjiang has transported large quantities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the East China Sea (ECS), but information of these pollutants in zooplankton is limited. To understand PAHs pollution in zooplankton in the ECS, total concentrations of PAHs in zooplankton from surface waters were measured. Values of PAHs ranged from 2 to 3500 ng m(-3) in the ECS, with highest PAHs levels located at the salinity front between the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) and the mid-shelf waters. In contrast, concentrations of zooplankton PAHs in the mid-shelf and outer-shelf waters were significantly lower (2-23 ng m(-3)) than those in the CDW. These results demonstrate that PAHs are conspicuously accumulated in zooplankton at the salinity front between the CDW and the mid-shelf waters. These higher levels of PAHs in zooplankton at the salinity front may be further biomagnified in marine organisms of higher trophic levels through their feeding activities.
Department of Oceanography and Asia-Pacific Ocean Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan; Taiwan Ocean Research Institute, National Applied Research Laboratories, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: cchung@mail.nsysu.edu.tw.
Chin-Chang
CC
Hung
National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung 94450, Taiwan; Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung 94450, Taiwan.
Fung-Chi
FC
Ko
Taiwan Ocean Research Institute, National Applied Research Laboratories, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Institute of Marine Environmental Chemistry and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.
Gwo-Ching
GC
Gong
Department of Oceanography and Asia-Pacific Ocean Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan.
Kuo-Shu
KS
Chen
Institute of Marine Environmental Chemistry and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.
Jian-Ming
JM
Wu
Institute of Marine Environmental Chemistry and Ecology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.
Hsin-Lun
HL
Chiang
Department of Electrical Engineering, National Formosa University, Yunlin 63201, Taiwan.
Sen-Chueh
SC
Peng
Department of Marine Sciences, Laboratory for Oceanography and Environmental Research, Texas A&M University at Galveston, 200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, TX 77553, USA.
Peter H
PH
Santschi
D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D054712:Salinity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000737:chemistry*
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
East China Sea; PAH; Salinity front; Zooplankton