title: Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in surface sediments from the sand flats of Shuangtaizi Estuary, China: levels, distribution, and possible sources.
abstract: Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediments from the sandy flat system of Shuangtaizi Estuary, the highest-latitude estuary in China, were investigated to identify their possible sources and potential ecological risk. The concentrations of 28 PCBs and 18 OCPs ranged from 1.83 to 36.68 ng g(-1) dw (mean 10.53 ng g(-1) dw) and from 0.02 to 14.57 ng g(-1) dw (mean 5.65 ng g(-1) dw), respectively. Generally, these organic pollutants showed an obvious spatial distribution, and relatively high levels were found at the high-tidal zone near river mouths. Compositional analyses indicated that tetra-PCBs were dominant for PCBs, whereas heptachlor was identified to be prevalent for OCPs in surficial sediment in the sand flats of Shuangtaizi Estuary. Overall, Shuangtaizi Estuary had moderate PCB and OCP levels in the sand flat sediments and posed a low ecological hazard to aquatic biota. Our results indicated that the sediment PCBs came from nonpoint deposition, such as atmospheric contribution and river input, for light chlorinated congeners and point source deposition, such as the industrial sources along river flow, for highly chlorinated congeners, whereas OCPs originate mainly from old residuals and new usage of pesticides in agriculture and aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, 42 Linghe Street, Dalian, 116023, People's Republic of China, xtyuan@nmemc.org.cn.
authors.forename: Xiutang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Xiaolong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Guangshui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Anguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuze
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Guize
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls