title: Equilibrium passive sampling as a tool to study polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Baltic Sea sediment pore-water systems.
abstract: Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) was applied to provide the first large scale dataset of freely dissolved concentrations for 9 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Baltic Sea sediment cores. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated glass fibers were used for ex-situ equilibrium sampling followed by automated thermal desorption and GC-MS analysis. From the PAH concentrations in the fiber coating we examined (i) spatially resolved freely dissolved PAH concentrations (Cfree); (ii) baseline toxicity potential on the basis of chemical activities (a); (iii) site specific mixture compositions; (iv) diffusion gradients at the sediment water interface and within the sediment cores and (v) site specific distribution ratios. Contamination levels were low in the northern Baltic Sea, moderate to elevated in the Baltic Proper and highest in the Gulf of Finland. Chemical activities were well below levels expected to cause narcosis to benthos organisms. The SPME method is a very sensitive tool that opens new possibilities for studying the PAHs at trace levels in marine environments.
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, Department of Environmental Engineering, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Biomedical & Environmental Health Research, School of Science, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, Paisley PA 1 2BE, UK.
authors.forename: Susann-Cathrin
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical & Environmental Health Research, School of Science, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley Campus, Paisley PA 1 2BE, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hursthouse
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Centre for Materials and Coastal Research, Institute of Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, D-21502 Geesthacht, Germany.
authors.forename: Danjiela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kötke
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hand
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Seestraße 15, 18119 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Detlef
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schulz-Bull
authors.affiliation: University of Applied Sciences Hamburg, Department of Environmental Engineering, Ulmenliet 20, 21033 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: gesine.witt@haw-hamburg.de.
authors.forename: Gesine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Witt
mesh_terms: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005387:Finland; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C013830:baysilon
keywords: Bioavailability; Equilibrium passive sampling; Freely dissolved pore water concentration; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Sediment pollution