PAH composition and potential sources for sediment samples from the Beaufort and Barents Seas
Conference
·
OSTI ID:211931
Sediment grabs and cores have been analyzed for parent and alkyl PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and time horizons have been determined using radionuclide distributions. PAH concentrations are significantly higher (2 to 20 times) in the Mackenzie River and the Beaufort Sea than in sediment from the Barents Sea. Concentrations exhibit little change between the Mackenzie River and shelf, but decrease slightly at the shelf edge. Barents Sea sediments have the highest concentrations in the southeast (near the major rivers), are slightly lower in the north and west of the sea, and are lowest near Novaya Zemlya. In most cases there is little change in PAH composition between surface layers and deeper sediments (10--20 cm) that contain no detectable bomb radionuclides. PAH profiles and principal components analysis (PCA) clearly distinguish PAH sources for the Arctic. Barents Sea sediments are most similar to Arctic atmospheric aerosols in their PAH molecular-mass ratios and PCA projections. Samples from the west and north sides of the Barents Sea are consistent with a petroleum source, while samples from other areas have combustion sources. Anthropogenic combustion inputs are particularly important in the southern Barents Sea, whereas natural inputs are important to the Beaufort Sea. The uniformity and the relatively high concentration of Beaufort Sea PAHs reflects a river dominated input of natural PAHs which tends to overwhelm any anthropogenic sources. Despite the greater anthropogenic influence in the Barents Sea, PAH concentrations in Barents Sea sediments are generally lower than in Beaufort Sea sediments.
- OSTI ID:
- 211931
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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