title: Forensic assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at the former Sydney Tar Ponds and surrounding environment using fingerprint techniques.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were assessed spatially and temporally within and adjacent to a former coking and steel manufacturing facility in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. Concentrations of PAHs were measured in surface soils, marine and estuary sediments prior to and during remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds (STPs) site which was contaminated by nearly a century of coking and steel production. Previous studies identified PAHs in surficial marine sediments within Sydney Harbour, which were considered to be derived from STP discharges. Numerous PAH fingerprint techniques (diagnostic ratios, principal component analysis, quantitative and qualitative analysis) were applied to soil and sediment samples from the STPs and surrounding area to identify common source apportionment of PAHs. Results indicate coal combustion (from historical residential, commercial and industrial uses) and coal handling (from historic on-site stockpiling and current coal transfer and shipment facilities) are likely the principal source of PAHs found in urban soils and marine sediments, consistent with current and historical activities near these sites. However, PAH fingerprints associated with STP sediments correlated poorly with those of urban soils and marine sediments, but were similar to coal tar, historically consistent with by-products produced by the former coking operations. This study suggests PAH contamination of Sydney Harbour sediments and urban soils is largely unrelated to historic coking operations or recent remediation of the STPs site, but rather a legacy of extensive use of coal for a variety of activities.
authors: Verschuren Centre, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1P 6L2, Canada. Electronic address: devinmacaskill@gmail.com.
authors: N Devin
authors: ND
authors: MacAskill
authors: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors: Tony R
authors: TR
authors: Walker
authors: Verschuren Centre, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1P 6L2, Canada.
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Oakes
authors: Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors: Margaret
authors: M
authors: Walsh
mesh_terms: D003031:Coal / Q000032:analysis; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000032:analysis*; D003077:Coke; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*; D063366:Estuaries; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis; D009674:Nova Scotia; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D003077:Coke; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D003033:Coal Tar
keywords: Environmental forensics; Environmental remediation; PAH fingerprints; Pollution source recognition; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Sydney tar ponds