Flux of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to Central Puget Sound from Seattle (Westpoint) primary sewage effluent

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00104a010· OSTI ID:5492036

Barrick, R C

Concentrations and mass emission rates are reported for hydrocarbons in a 20-month evaluation of primary municipal waste water discharging to marine waters of Puget Sound from Seattle, WA. On the average, METRO (Westpoint) discharges 475 metric tons/year of aliphatic hydrocarbons and approximately 1 metric ton/year of 3-7 ring polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), corresponding to discharges of 2.6 and 0.005 g/(capita day), respectively. Effluent PAH containing greater than or equal to 4 rings apparently derive principally from storm-water contributions. A comparison of METRO's yearly average discharge of different hydrocarbon components with observed hydrocarbon fluxes in adjacent Puget Sound surface sediments suggests negligible accumulations of the resolvable alkanes (derived from the effluent), partial accumulations of an unresolved complex mixture and phenanthrene, and substantial accumulations of the greater than or equal to4-ring PAH. The discharge accounts for a major portion of the sedimentary aliphatic fossil hydrocarbon flux and is one of several important PAH contributors. 45 references, 2 figures, 5 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Washington, Seattle
• DOE Contract Number: AT06-75EV70040
• OSTI ID: 5492036
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 16:10; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320604 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Municipal Waste Management-- (1980-)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALKANES
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DATA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION X
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MARINE DISPOSAL
MUNICIPAL WASTES
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHENANTHRENE
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
USA
WASHINGTON
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER POLLUTION