Distributions of three- to seven-ring polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons on the deep sea floor in the central Pacific

Journal Article · Wed Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 1999 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es981181w· OSTI ID:687350

Ohkouchi, Naohiko; Kawamura, Kimitaka ^[1]; Kawahata, Hodaka ^[2]

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1. Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo (Japan). Inst. of Low-Temperature Science
2. Geological Survey of Japan, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan)

Three- to seven-ring parent and alkylated polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are determined in 20 deep sea surface sediments collected along a 175{degree}E transect from 48{degree}N to 15{degree}S. The latitudinal distributions of PAHs except for perylene and retene show that they are low in the low latitudes (15{degree}S-24{degree}N) but remarkably increase from 27{degree}N to 48{degree}N. Concentrations of these PAHs at 48{degree}N are 1--3 orders of magnitude higher than those of the lower latitudes. Similar latitudinal patterns of these PAHs suggest that they were transported as mixtures attached to some aerosol particles but not free forms.

• OSTI ID: 687350
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 33, Issue 18; Other Information: PBD: 15 Sep 1999
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
PACIFIC OCEAN
WATER POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MONITORING
SEDIMENTS