Sediment chronology and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations and fluxes in Cayuga Lake, NY

Technical Report · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:5814087

Heit, M; Tan, Y L; Miller, K M; Quanci, J; Marinetti, C; Silvestri, S; Swain, A M; Winkler, M G

We describe experiments aimed at determining the deposition history of energy-related, particulate-associated, potentially carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) deposited in the sediments of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of Central New York State. The sediment cores were chronologically dated from measurements of artificial and natural radionuclides (/sup 137/Cs, Pu-isotopes, /sup 210/Pb) and pollen. Diatoms and charcoal were used to determine historic changes in the Cayuga Lake basin. These methods showed agreement in chronology and also indicated that the sediments were not mixed or diffused to any great extent so that clear pollutant trends could be established. Historic changes in concentrations (ng/g dry wt.) and flux (ng/cm/sup 2//yr) of 3 to 7 ring PAH compounds were determined. Estimates of the atmospheric component of PAH flux to the sediments were made using the ratio of /sup 137/Cs inventories in sediments to that deposited on undisturbed soils.

• Research Organization: Department of Energy, New York (USA). Environmental Measurements Lab.; Wisconsin Univ., Madison (USA). Inst. for Environmental Studies
• OSTI ID: 5814087
• Report Number(s): EML-451; ON: DE86011333
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AGE ESTIMATION
AIR POLLUTION
AROMATICS
DATA
DEPOSITION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION II
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
ISOTOPE DATING
LAKES
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SEDIMENTATION
SEDIMENTS
SURFACE WATERS
USA