Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in suspended particulate matter and sediments from the Pearl River Estuary and adjacent coastal areas, China.

The spatial distribution, composition, and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments and suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the Pearl River Estuary and adjacent coastal areas were examined. Total PAH concentrations varied from 189 to 637 ng/g in sediments and 422 to 1,850 ng/g in SPM. PAHs were dominated by 5,6-ring compounds in sediments and by 2,3-ring compounds in SPM samples. Assessment of PAH sources suggested that biomass and coal combustion is the major PAH source to the outer part of the estuary sediments and that petroleum combustion is the major PAH source to the inner part of estuary sediments. As for SPM samples, PAH isomer pair ratios indicated multiple (petroleum, petroleum combustion, and biomass and coal combustion) PAH sources, and significant temporal variations could exist for the sources of water column PAHs in the study area. The distribution of perylene in SPM samples indicated that the river was the dominant source of perylene in SPM and that perylene could be taken as an index to assess the contribution of river inflow to the total PAHs in SPM samples. The high concentration of perylene in the sediment was indicative of an in situ biogenic origin.

Distribution of alkylphenols in the Pearl River Delta and adjacent northern South China Sea, China.

The occurrence of alkylphenols (APs) was investigated in surface water and sediments from the Pearl River Delta and adjacent northern South China Sea. Most of the water samples contained detectable amounts of APs, ranging up to 0.628 microg l(-1) for nonylphenol (NP) and 0.068 microg l(-1) for octylphenol (OP). APs were found in all of the sediment samples with concentrations ranging from 59 to 7808 microg kg(-1) for NP and from 1 to 93 microg kg(-1) for OP. The Zhujiang River showed the highest concentrations of APs in both water and sediments. Significant decrease of APs concentrations going from the Zhujiang River to the Shiziyang River was observed. The Xijiang River contained concentrations of APs slightly higher in water but relatively lower in sediments than the Lingding Bay, which might be attributed to their different hydrodynamic and sedimentary characteristics. There was a decreasing trend of APs in water from the rivers to the estuary and further to the sea on the whole. In the Lingding Bay and its outer waters, concentrations of APs in sediments increased to a maximum and then decrease seaward, which was consistent with the distribution trend of the sediment organic carbon contents. Linear regression analyses showed the concentrations of APs were markedly correlated with the sediment organic carbon contents, indicating that the sediment organic carbon is an important factor controlling the levels of APs in sediments.

Distribution and partition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in surface water of the Pearl River Estuary, South China.

Water samples were collected in the Pearl River Estuary in July 2002 and April 2003. The particulate and dissolved phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined. Total PAH concentrations in water samples were higher in April of 2003 (C (p): 4.0-39.1 ng/L or 445.1-1,089.9 ng/g; C (w): 15.9-184.2 ng/L) than in July of 2002 (C (p): 2.6-26.6 ng/L or 297.7-1,336.6 ng/g; C (w): 12.9-28.3 ng/L). It was found that 5, 6-ring PAHs enrich in the inner estuary samples and so did 3-ring PAHs in the July samples. Compositional differences in the suspended particulate matter (SPM) might be responsible for this observation. The partition coefficient (K (p)) increased with the increasing of the particular organic carbon content of suspended particles as well as the salinity of water, decreased with the increase of the total suspended particles content of samples. A linear correlation between logK (OC) and logK (OW) was found in two sampling periods. The observed values of logK (OC) exceed their predicted values derived form linear free energy relationship between logK (oc) and logK (ow), which could be attributed to the nonlinear sorption of soot-like carbons in suspended particles.

[Spatial and temporal distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface water from the Pearl River Artery estuary].

Six water samples were collected, and twenty-one compounds of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface water from the Pearl River Artery estuary were analyzed quantitatively, based on USEPA 8000 series methods and under quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). The total (particulate plus dissolved phase) concentration of OCPs in surface water from the Pearl River Artery estuary in both high flow season and low flow season were 9.7 ng/L-26.3 ng/L and 41.7 ng/L-122.5 ng/L respectively. The concentration of total HCHs and total other OCPs was much higher than that of DDTs. The seasonality of the concentration of OCPs was significantly, and the level of OCPs in low flow season was higher than that of OCPs in high flow season. The spatial and temporal distribution of OCPs suggested that there were significant differences of OCPs between the East River (Dongjiang) network and Guangzhou channel and the nonpoint-source pollution of OCPs was found in the Pearl River Artery estuary, particularly in high flow season.

[Survey of alkylphenols in aquatic environment of Zhujiang Delta].

The summer contamination of dissolved nonylphenols (NPs) and octylphenol (OP) in surface water of Zhujiang estuary and other rivers of Zhujiang Delta was analyzed. The result reveals that NPs concentration in The Pearl River remains < 20-40 ng/L, apart from the NPs concentrations of the mouth of The Pingzhou Channel the mouth of The Shawan Channel and Hutiaomen reaching a higher level of 98.84, 129.82 and 164.98 ng/L respectively. The Lingding Sea and open sea surface water keep at a lower level with the NPs concentration of < 10-14 ng/L. In terms of OP concentration in The Pearl River, any other sampling location is below LOD 2 ng/L, except for Baiertan, the mouth of The Shawan Channel and Hutiaomen being 2.89, 2.44, 2.12 ng/L respectively and inside Macao harbor being the highest level of 8.54 ng/L. The OP concentrations of The Lingding Sea and open sea surface water are lower than LOD 1 ng/L.