Contamination of stormwater pond sediments by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Minnesota. The role of coal tar-based products as a source of PAHs (original) (raw)
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Environmental …, 2005
Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in sediment cores collected from 11 inland lakes in Michigan for examination of spatial and temporal trends in accumulation and sources. Concentrations of PAHs varied widely among these lakes; the highest concentrations were found in sediment collected from Cass Lake, located in an urbanized watershed. Concentrations of PAHs were correlated with watershed population density on a spatial scale. PAH concentrations have decreased over time since the 1980s in nine of the 11 lakes studied, most of which are located in suburban and rural areas. The rate of decline in PAH concentration was faster in Gratiot Lake, a remote lake with no known local sources of pollution in recent years. Concentrations of PAHs in surface sediments from Cass and Cadillac Lakes were greater than the threshold for adverse effects. Despite the wide variations in total PAH concentrations, fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[k]fluoranthene were the major PAHs in all of the lakes studied. The proportions of individual PAHs within the total PAH concentrations have changed both temporally and spatially, suggesting a shift in the sources of PAHs in the environment. A general increase in the proportion of highmolecular-weight PAHs suggests an increase in combustionrelated sources recently.
Chemosphere, 2007
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in 34 surface sediments along the Susquehanna River were investigated in 2000. The total concentrations of PAHs in the surface sediments of Lake Clarke, Lake Aldred, the upper Conowingo Reservoir, and the lower Conowingo Reservoir were 3.3 ± 1.5 lg g À1 (n = 9), 1.6 ± 1.3 lg g À1 (n = 4), 9.8 ± 5.5 lg g À1 (n = 7), and 4.0 ± 1.2 lg g À1 (n = 14), respectively. These represent the first comprehensive measurement of PAHs in Susquehanna River surface sediments. Overall, total PAH concentrations were relatively lower in Lake Aldred, which is more shallow and sloped, and significantly higher in the upper Conowingo Reservoir. The sediment PAH levels were related to river flow rates, which are indirectly correlated with the particle size of the surface sediments. Total PAH levels in all the studied sites were below the effects range median (ERM) of 44.8 lg g À1 with 38% (13 of the 34 sampling sites) exceeding the effects range low (ERL) of 4.02 lg g À1 . Principal component analysis indicated that variations in the PAH compound patterns of each reservoir decreased from upstream to downstream, indicating that the surface sediments were mixed along the Susquehanna River. The PAH patterns in the lower Conowingo Reservoir sediments were a combination of those upstream sources. Source analysis using isomer ratios as indicators suggested that PAHs in the Susquehanna River surface sediment are derived from the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and gasoline with coal as the major source of contaminants.
Estuaries, 2002
Urban and suburban storm water runoff from ten locations in eastern Massachusetts was analyzed for 39 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds. Similar profiles in PAH composition were observed for groups of samples and appear to reflect land use. The largest group includes urban storm water from areas with a mix of industrial, commercial, and residential use. Fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene, chrysene, and benzo(b)fluoranthene were the predominant compounds in this group, but lighter molecular weight PAHs were also present. Sources of PAHs to storm water include a combination of petroleum and combustion. The profile of PAH compounds in local atmospheric deposition was similar to urban storm water, but differed in several of the predominant compounds. PAHs in storm water could increase the levels of these compounds in nearshore sediments and may be the most important source of high molecular weight PAHs to these environments.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soil of the Canadian River Floodplain in Oklahoma
Journal of Environmental Quality, 2010
Th e accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in soil, plants, and water may impart negative eff ects on ecosystem and human health. We quantifi ed the concentration and distribution of 41 PAH (n = 32), organic C, total N, and S (n = 140) and investigated PAH sources using a chronosequence of fl oodplain soils under a natural vegetation succession. Soil samples were collected between 0-and 260-cm depth in bare land (the control), wetland, forest, and grassland areas near a closed municipal landfi ll and an active asphalt plant (the contaminant sources) in the north bank of the Canadian River near Norman, OK. Principal component, cluster, and correlation analyses were used to investigate the spatial distribution of PAH, in combination with diagnostic ratios to distinguish pyrogenic vs. petrogenic PAH suites. Total PAH concentration (ΣPAH) had a mean of 1300 ng g −1 , minimum of 16 ng g −1 , and maximum of 12,000 ng g −1 . At 0-to 20-cm depth, ΣPAH was 3500 ± 1600 ng g −1 (mean ± 1 SE) near the contaminant sources. Th e most common compounds were nonalkylated, high molecular weight PAH of pyrogenic origin, i.e., fl uoranthene (17%), pyrene (14%), phenanthrene (9%), benzo(b)fl uoranthene (7%), chrysene (6%), and benzo(a)anthracene (5%). ΣPAH in the control (130 ± 23 ng g −1 ) was comparable to reported concentrations for the rural Great Plains. Perylene had a unique distribution pattern suggesting biological inputs. Th e main PAH contamination mechanisms were likely atmospheric deposition due to asphalt production at the 0-to 20-cm depth and past landfi ll operations at deeper depths.
Science of The Total Environment, 1996
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in 34 surface sediments along the Susquehanna River were investigated in 2000. The total concentrations of PAHs in the surface sediments of Lake Clarke, Lake Aldred, the upper Conowingo Reservoir, and the lower Conowingo Reservoir were 3.3 ± 1.5 lg g À1 (n = 9), 1.6 ± 1.3 lg g À1 (n = 4), 9.8 ± 5.5 lg g À1 (n = 7), and 4.0 ± 1.2 lg g À1 (n = 14), respectively. These represent the first comprehensive measurement of PAHs in Susquehanna River surface sediments. Overall, total PAH concentrations were relatively lower in Lake Aldred, which is more shallow and sloped, and significantly higher in the upper Conowingo Reservoir. The sediment PAH levels were related to river flow rates, which are indirectly correlated with the particle size of the surface sediments. Total PAH levels in all the studied sites were below the effects range median (ERM) of 44.8 lg g À1 with 38% (13 of the 34 sampling sites) exceeding the effects range low (ERL) of 4.02 lg g À1 . Principal component analysis indicated that variations in the PAH compound patterns of each reservoir decreased from upstream to downstream, indicating that the surface sediments were mixed along the Susquehanna River. The PAH patterns in the lower Conowingo Reservoir sediments were a combination of those upstream sources. Source analysis using isomer ratios as indicators suggested that PAHs in the Susquehanna River surface sediment are derived from the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal and gasoline with coal as the major source of contaminants.
Environmental Science & Technology, 2010
Carbonaceous material (CM) particles are the principal vectors transporting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into urban waters via runoff; however, characteristics of CM particles in urban watersheds and their relative contributions to PAH contamination remain unclear. Our objectives were to identify the sources and distribution of CM particles in an urban watershed and to determine the types of CMs that were the dominant sources of PAHs in the lake and stream sediments. Samples of soils, parking lot and street dust, and streambed and lake sediment were collected from the Lake Como watershed in Fort Worth, Texas. Characteristics of CM particles determined by organic petrography and a significant correlation between PAH concentrations and organic carbon in coal tar, asphalt, and soot indicate that these three CM particle types are the major sources and carriers of PAHs in the watershed. Estimates of the distribution of PAHs in CM particles indicate that coal-tar pitch, used in some pavement sealcoats, is a dominant source of PAHs in the watershed, and contributes as much as 99% of the PAHs in sealed parking lot dust, 92% in unsealed parking lot dust, 88% in commercial area soil, 71% in streambed sediment, and 84% in surficial lake sediment.
Environmental Earth Sciences, 2015
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are recalcitrant pollutants common in aquatic ecosystems. Although there is a vast literature on PAH contamination, there is a scarcity of information in long-term contaminated ecosystems. This study is the first detailed characterization of PAHs and their sources from riverbank sediments with a historic legacy of pollution. A total of 27 cores were collected at two highly contaminated locations and at one upstream location where apparently there was no PAH contamination. At each location, three cores were taken at three different depths using stainless steel liners. PAHs were extracted by using a modified sonication method followed by identification and quantification by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Twelve PAHs were quantified and sources were identified using PAH ratios. High PAH concentrations (94,000-560,000 lg/kg) were detected making this aquatic ecosystem one of the most polluted in the world. Pyrolytic sources of PAHs was indicated by the large relative contribution of four ring compounds, while high levels of low molecular weight PAHs also suggested input from petrogenic sources. Risk quotients assessment overwhelmingly demonstrated that the riverbank sediments of the Mahoning posed a very high ecological risk to aquatic organisms, even at what was previously considered an unpolluted location. These results suggest that there is a great need for implementation of remediation strategy of the riverbanks.
Water, 2020
Sediments and invertebrates were sampled from 9 stormwater retention ponds (SWRPs) and 11 natural, shallow lakes in Denmark. Samples were analyzed for 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The SWRPs received urban and highway runoff from various types of drainage areas and the lakes were located in areas of various land uses. Comparing PAHs in the sediments of the SWRPs and the lakes, it was found that levels of total PAH were similar in the two aquatic systems, with median values of 0.94 and 0.63 mg•(kg•DM) −1 in sediments of SWRPs and lakes, respectively. However, the SWRP sediments tended to have higher concentrations of high-molecular-weight PAHs than the lakes. A similar pattern was seen for PAHs accumulated in invertebrates where the median of total PAH was 2.8 and 2.1 mg•(kg•DM) −1 for SWRPs and lakes, respectively. Principal component analysis on the PAH distribution in the sediments and invertebrates showed that ponds receiving highway runoff clustered with lakes in forests and farmland. The same was the case for some of the ponds receiving runoff from residential areas. Overall, results showed that sediment PAH levels in all SWRPs receiving runoff from highways were similar to the levels found in some of the investigated natural, shallow lakes, as were the sediment PAH levels from some of the residential SWRPs. Furthermore, there was no systematic trend that one type of water body exceeded environmental quality standards (EQS) values more often than others. Together this indicates that at least some SWRPs can sustain an invertebrate ecosystem without the organisms experiencing higher bioaccumulation of PAHs then what is the case in shallow lakes of the same region.