Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Washington coastal sediments: an evaluation of atmospheric and riverine routes of introduction
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compositions of atmospheric particulate material (APM) collected from three locations in western Washington state and riverine suspended particulate material (SPM) collected near the mouth of the olumbia River are characterized monthly over a one-year period. APM mixtures are dominated by PAH of combustion origin with minor levels of the resin acid-derived PAH, retene, often present. contain comparable levels of individual combustion PAH, retene, and perylene. Atmospheric and riverine contributions of individual PAH to the Washington coastal environment are estimated from this compositional data and other ancillary information. Comparison of these estimates with respective PAH accumulation rates measured in lead-210 dated coastal sediments shows that (1) > 30% of all the combustion PAH, retene and perylene in these sediments is supplied by SPM discharge from the Columbia River; (2) at most 10% of the combustion PAH is introduced to this region by direct atmospheric input. Prevailing southwesterly winds off the Washington coast prevent significant direct atmospheric transport of combustion PAH or retene from land to coastal waters and sediments. The Columbia River provides the major input of all PAH. Atmospherically transportable PAH are removed by wet and dry deposition over land to soils and freshwaters of the river drainage basin, eroded and carried on river particulates and discharged along with other non-atmospherically transportable PAH such as perylene into the Washington coastal environment as intrinsic chemical constituents of the Columbia River's suspended sediment load. 33 references, 3 figures, 6 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Washington Univ., Seattle (USA). School of Oceanography
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT06-75EV70040
- OSTI ID:
- 5935360
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/EV/70040-25; ON: DE85006782
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COASTAL REGIONS
COLUMBIA RIVER
DEPOSITION
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROCARBONS
LEAD COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PACIFIC OCEAN
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PRECIPITATION SCAVENGING
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RIVERS
SEAS
SEDIMENTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
WASHOUT
WIND