title: Dynamics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of Cochin estuary, India.
abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) showed significant seasonal dynamics in surface sediments of a tropical ecosystem (Cochin estuary, south west coast of India). Concentrations ranged from 304 to 5874ngg-1in pre-monsoon, 493 to 14,149ngg-1in monsoon, and 194 to 10,691ngg-1in post-monsoon. The estuary was moderately contaminated with low molecular weight PAH fractions, which increased rapidly during the monsoon season indicating land/river runoff as the major transport pathway. The dominance of 2-3 ring fractions in the PAH indicated petrogenic and low temperature combustion processes as major sources, while the very low levels of 5-6 ring components indicated low contribution from pyrolytic sources. Low molecular weight fractions were higher in concentration than the Effective Range-Median (ERM) levels, whereas high molecular weight PAHs were lower than the Effective Range-Low values (ERL). Calculated carcinogenic toxicity equivalents (TEQ) values ranged from 1 to 971ngg-1in the surface sediments.
authors.affiliation: Inter University Centre For Development of Marine Biotechnology, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, India. Electronic address: ramzipkd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramzi
authors.affiliation: CSIR(-)National Institute of Oceanography Regional Centre, Visakhapatnam 530 017, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Habeeb Rahman
authors.affiliation: CSIR(-)National Institute of Oceanography Regional Centre, Kochi 682018, India.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Gireeshkumar
authors.affiliation: CSIR(-)National Institute of Oceanography Regional Centre, Kochi 682018, India.
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Balachandran
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Oceanography, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, India.
authors.forename: Chacko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.affiliation: Inter University Centre For Development of Marine Biotechnology, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, India; Department of Chemical Oceanography, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi 682016, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chandramohanakumar
mesh_terms: D002273:Carcinogens; D002681:China; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007194:India; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers; D012621:Seasons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Cochin estuary; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Sediments; Source