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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Geochemical study of sediment contamination in New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6404615
Chemical analyses of sediment samples collected along a transect in New Bedford Harbor revealed a gradient of increasing concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and several trace metals from the southern to the northern areas of the estuary. Although the concentrations of contaminants generally increased with distance north in the estuary for all classes of compounds, differences were observed between the trends for many of the compounds. These differences are probably due to both the sources and differential environmental behaviors of the compounds in the estuary.
Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, RI (USA). Environmental Research Lab.
OSTI ID:
6404615
Report Number(s):
PB-91-116962/XAB; EPA--600/J-90/242
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English