Occurrence and phase distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in riverine runoff of the Pearl River Delta, China

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 57; no. 6; pp. 767 - 774
• Main Authors: Wang, Ji-Zhong, Nie, Yun-Feng, Luo, Xian-Lin, Zeng, Eddy Y.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Brackish; China; Continental surface waters; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Geography; Marine; Natural water pollution; Partitioning; Pearl River Delta (PRD); Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - chemistry; Riverine runoff; Rivers - chemistry; Seawaters, estuaries; Source; Time Factors; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water treatment and pollution; Asia; China; China, People's Rep., Guangdong Prov., Guangzhou; China, People's Rep., Zhu R; China, People's Rep; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); Riverine runoff; Partitioning; Pearl River Delta (PRD); Source; Hydrocarbon; Estuaries; Partition coefficient; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Sediments; Spatial variation; Time variation; Persistent organic pollutant; Suspended particle; Trend analysis; Surface water; Pollution source inventory; Stream; Phase partition; Water pollution; Organic compounds; Concentration distribution; Anthropogenic factor
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.01.007

The occurrence and phase distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in waters at the eight riverine outlets of the Pearl River Delta (China) were examined based on a monthly sampling program from March 2005 to February 2006. The total concentrations of PAHs in the aqueous phase and suspended particulate matter (SPM) combined ranged from 55.5 to 522 ng/L, at the mid level of the global values in rivers and estuaries. No clear temporal and spatial trends of PAH concentrations were found. However, the concentrations of PAHs associated with SPM coincided with the monthly precipitation of Guangzhou, indicating the importance of atmospheric deposition. The PAHs found in the region were likely derived from a combined pyrolytic and petrogenic origin, as suggested by the molecular indices of PAHs. Normalized partition coefficient ( K oc) between water and SPM was correlated with octanol–water partition coefficient ( K ow) to understand the environmental behavior of PAHs.