title: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments from the intertidal zone of Bohai Bay, Northeast China: Spatial distribution, composition, sources and ecological risk assessment.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can enter intertidal zones by various pathways and pose potential threats to intertidal ecosystem. We investigated distribution, composition, sources and risk assessment of PAHs in intertidal surface sediments of Bohai Bay. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 37.2ng·g-1to 206.6ng·g-1, among which high values occurred near Nanpaishuihe River Estuary and Haihe River Estuary. The composition patterns of PAHs were characterized by the predominance of 3-ring and 4-ring PAHs, and acenaphthylene was the most dominant component. Diagnostic ratios and principal component analysis have confirmed that PAH contaminants originated from mixed sources, and the major was local combustion. The mean benzo(a)pyrene equivalent concentration of total PAHs in intertidal sediments was 15.67ng·g-1, which was mostly contributed by seven carcinogenic PAHs. According to ecological risk assessment, negative effects related to acenaphthylene would occur occasionally in partial survey regions of the study.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Baocui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China. Electronic address: xhliu@bnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xinhui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, PR China.
authors.forename: Baoshan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry*; D002681:China; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Ecological risk assessment; Indicator; Intertidal zone; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Source apportionment