title: Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean.
abstract: To analyze the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and evaluate their potential ecological risks, the concentrations of 16 PAHs were measured in 43 surface sediment samples from the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean. Total PAH (tPAH) concentrations ranged from 36.95 to 150.21 ng/g (dry weight). In descending order, the surface sediment tPAH concentrations were as follows: Canada Basin>northern Chukchi Sea>Chukchi Basin>southern Chukchi Sea>Aleutian Basin>Makarov Basin>Bering Sea shelf. The Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean mainly received PAHs of pyrogenic origin due to pollution caused by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. The concentrations of PAHs in the sediments of the study areas did not exceed effects range low (ERL) values.
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China; Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China.
authors.forename: Mengwei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China. Electronic address: wangweiguo@tio.org.cn.
authors.forename: Weiguo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266061, China.
authors.forename: Yanguang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266061, China.
authors.forename: Linsen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China.
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Qingdao 266061, China.
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
authors.forename: Dejiang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D001110:Arctic Regions; D002170:Canada; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D009659:North Sea; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Bering Sea; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; Surface sediment; Western Arctic Ocean