PCBs and its coupling with eco-environments in Southern Yellow Sea surface sediments

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 54; no. 8; pp. 1105 - 1115
• Main Authors: Zhang, Peng, Song, Jinming, Liu, Zhigang, Zheng, Guoxia, Zhang, Naixing, He, Zhipeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Applied sciences; Arsenic - analysis; Biomass; Carbon - analysis; China; Chlorophyll - analysis; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Geography; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Marine; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Oceans and Seas; Particle Size; PCBs; Plankton - physiology; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Pollution, environment geology; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - metabolism; Population Density; Soil and sediments pollution; Southern Yellow Sea; Surface sediments; Water Movements; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Yellow Sea; China; INW, Huanghai Sea; Huanghai Sea; PCBs; Surface sediments; Southern Yellow Sea; Grain size; Marine sediments; Semi enclosed sea; Environmental factor; Hydrodynamics; Polychlorobiphenyl; Organic chlorine compounds; Persistent organic pollutant; Pollution; Spatial distribution; Chlorocarbon; Pollution source; Aromatic compound; Organic compounds; Concentration distribution
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.05.005

In this paper, the spatial distribution and source of the PCBs in surface sediments of the Southern Yellow Sea (SYS) and influencing factors, such as the sediment characteristics (components, relative proportions and total organic carbon contents), and hydrodynamic conditions were analyzed. PCB concentrations in the surface sediments ranged from 518–5848 pg/g, with average values of 1715 pg/g decreasing sharply compared to last year. In the study area, the PCB pollution level in the middle area was the highest, followed by that of the east coast and the west coast, respectively. Although the PCB level in the coastal areas was lower than that in the middle areas, it was proven in our study that the Yellow Sea obtained PCBs by virtue of river inputs. There was a positive and pertinent correlation between the clay proportion and PCB concentrations, and the increase of the PCB concentrations was directly proportional to the increase of TOC contents, with r = 0.61, but it was contrary to the sediment grain size. Consequently, the factors controlling PCB distribution had direct or indirect relationships with sediment grain size; moreover, the hydrodynamic conditions determined the sediment components and grain size. In conclusion, hydrodynamic conditions of the Yellow Sea were the most important influencing factors effecting the distribution of PCBs in the surface sediments of the SYS.