Mass balance modeling of PAHs and PCBs in the Chesapeake Bay: Importance of atmospheric deposition and exchange
- Univ. of Maryland, Solomons, MD (United States)
During the past three years, the authors have measured the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in air, precipitation, surface waters and surficial sediments throughout the mainstem of the Chesapeake Bay. Contaminant concentrations in the water column and surficial sediments show strong decreasing north to south gradients, implying efficient trapping of particle-reactive, volatile contaminants above the estuarine turbidity maximum. Seasonal estimates of water column and surficial sediment contaminant inventories, coupled with estimates of riverine loadings, atmospheric wet and dry aerosol depositional fluxes, and gas exchange rates, allowed them to construct first order mass balances for these semivolatile, particle reactive contaminants. This analysis shows that PAH and PCB water column inventories are extremely small relative to air-water and sediment-water exchange rates, suggesting short residence times and highly variable water column concentrations. The relative importance of the atmosphere as a source of or, in the case of volatile compounds, a sink for contaminants will be addressed with these mass balances.
- OSTI ID:
- 460524
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149-; TRN: IM9718%%105
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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