PAH, PCB, TPH and mercury in surface sediments of the Delaware River Estuary and Delmarva Peninsula, USA

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 129; no. 2; pp. 835 - 845
• Main Authors: Kim, A.W., Vane, C.H., Moss-Hayes, V., Engelhart, S.E., Kemp, A.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Aromatic compounds; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Background levels; Baseline studies; Combustion; Delaware; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Estuaries; Estuarine dynamics; Estuarine environments; Fluidized bed combustion; Fluvial sediments; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Land use; Mercury; Mercury - analysis; Mercury surface; PCB; PCB compounds; Perylene; Petroleum; Petroleum - analysis; Petroleum hydrocarbons; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Ratios; Rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Rural land use; Sediment concentration; Sediment quality guideline values SQG; Sediments; Total petroleum hydrocarbons; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Delaware; United States > US; Delmarva Peninsula; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Sediment quality guideline values SQG; Perylene; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Total petroleum hydrocarbons
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.10.008

Surface sediment concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and mercury, were compared from two areas with contrasting land use history, the industrial Delaware Estuary and the rural Delmarva Peninsula (USA). TPH in the Delaware (38–616mg/kg) and saturate/aromatic fractions suggested petroleum/industrial sources compared to biogenic sources in the Delmarva coastal control (<34–159mg/kg). Within the Delaware the ∑PAH18 ranged from 3749 to 22,324μg/kg with isomeric ratios indicative of petroleum combustion source/s, conversely, those in the Delmarva (5–2139μg/kg) also yielded relatively higher perylene that were consistent with natural background levels derived from vegetation/coal combustion source/s. ∑PCB(tri-hepta) concentrations in the Delmarva (0.6–6.5μg/kg) were less than the threshold effect concentration (TEC), whereas the Delaware had received much higher PCB loading (18.1–136.8μg/kg) as evidenced by a significantly higher amounts in some samples (>TEC). •PAH, PCB, TPH, and mercury measured in Delaware & Delmarva surface sediments.•Concentrations were mainly within normal regional levels in both of the study areas.•Spatial concentration trends were observed in the Delaware River Estuary.•Delaware has multiple diffuse sources of industrial, anthropogenic & urban pollution.•Delmarva sediment pollutants indicate biogenic origin & pristine environment.