Investigation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Pollution In Coast Of Eastern Guangdong And Zhoushan Islands, China

This is the first investigation on the comtimination of 16 individual parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of Zhelin Bay, Shantou Barbour and Zhoushan Islands, China. A method using ultrasonic extraction combined with separation by HPLC was employed for the simultaneous determination of 16 PAHs in marine surface sediments. The comtimination of the PAHs was reported, the spatial distribution was discussed, the main possible sources of these pollutants were identified, and the potential of adverse effects resulting from PAH contamination in the sediments were estimated. These studies have important significance in estimating the comtimination and the risks on marine life of the investigating areas, as well as in constituting countermeasure to prevent and cure the pollution.A method using ultrasonic extraction combined with separation by HPLC was established for the simultaneous determination of 16 PAHs in marine sediments. The PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) in the sediments were extracted by acetone in an ultrasonic bath and directly determinated by high-performance liquid chromatography after concentrated, in which the clean-up step is not necessary. After the chromatographic conditions and ultrasonic extraction were optimized, for each PAH component the linear limit ranges from 1 to 500 ng, the cofficient of correlation from 0.9921 to 0.9999, and the detection limit from 0.1 to 4.6 ng, which is up to scratch for marine sediment. Using the established method to measure the PAHs of sediments from Zhelin Bay of Eastern Guangdong with large-scale mariculture, the recoveries of PAHs ranged from 69.2% to 108% with a total average of 89.2% and standard deviations from 0.5 tol0.3. The established method is simple, fast, highly active, and low cost.Surface sediment samples were colltcted from 8 stations in Zhelin Bay in August, 2004. The results showed that, the total concentration of PAHs varied from 147 to 929 ng/g dry weight, Low molecular weight PAHs with 2-3 rings were dominant in each sample, and acenaphthene was the most dominant component in all investigated stations; fule-derived contamination from small boats was the main origin of PAHs in Zhelin Bay; The concentration of some low molecular PAHs (e.g., acenaphthene) were over Effects Range-Low and some strong carcinogenic PAHs with high molecular weights were found in some stations, indicated that...