Sediment trap fluxes and benthic recycling of organic carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorobiphenyl congeners in Lake Superior

Journal Article · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Environmental Science and Technology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00015a019· OSTI ID:5673098

Baker, J E; Eisenreich, S J ^[1]; Eadie, B J ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis (USA)
2. NOAA, Ann Arbor, MI (USA)

Sediment trap fluxes of solids, organic carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in Lake Superior in 1984 and 1985. Mass fluxes from surface waters ranged from 0.14 to 1.1 g/m{sup 2}{center dot}day and increased near the lake floor due to resuspension of surficial sediment and horizontal transport in the benthic nepheloid layer. Organic matter fluxes from surface water ranged from 60 to 90 mg of C/m{sup 2}{center dot}day, with {approximately}5% of organic carbon settling from surface waters accumulating in bottom sediments. Concentrations of PCBs and PAHs are enriched 10-100 times on settling particles relative to those on suspended particles. Resultant settling fluxes are 10-100 times greater for several PCB and PAH compounds than net accumulation rates in bottom sediments, indicating the effective and rapid recycling in the benthic region. Biological packaging of organic pollutants into rapidly settling particles is an efficient pathway for the transport of contaminants from surface waters to benthic regions of large lakes.

• OSTI ID: 5673098
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA) Vol. 25:3; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AROMATICS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DATA
DATA ANALYSIS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
LAKE SUPERIOR
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEDIMENTS
SURFACE WATERS