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Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in surface sediments from the sand flats of Shuangtaizi Estuary, China: levels, distribution, and possible sources

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Abstract

Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediments from the sandy flat system of Shuangtaizi Estuary, the highest-latitude estuary in China, were investigated to identify their possible sources and potential ecological risk. The concentrations of 28 PCBs and 18 OCPs ranged from 1.83 to 36.68 ng g−1 dw (mean 10.53 ng g−1 dw) and from 0.02 to 14.57 ng g−1 dw (mean 5.65 ng g−1 dw), respectively. Generally, these organic pollutants showed an obvious spatial distribution, and relatively high levels were found at the high-tidal zone near river mouths. Compositional analyses indicated that tetra-PCBs were dominant for PCBs, whereas heptachlor was identified to be prevalent for OCPs in surficial sediment in the sand flats of Shuangtaizi Estuary. Overall, Shuangtaizi Estuary had moderate PCB and OCP levels in the sand flat sediments and posed a low ecological hazard to aquatic biota. Our results indicated that the sediment PCBs came from nonpoint deposition, such as atmospheric contribution and river input, for light chlorinated congeners and point source deposition, such as the industrial sources along river flow, for highly chlorinated congeners, whereas OCPs originate mainly from old residuals and new usage of pesticides in agriculture and aquaculture.

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Acknowledgments

This study is funded by the National Marine Public Welfare Research Project (no. 201305043), National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 41106115), and the Key Laboratory for Ecological Environment in Coastal Areas, SOA (no. 201311). We particularly thank several anonymous referees for professional comments and Dr. Sophie J. McCoy from Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK, for English improvement on this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, 42 Linghe Street, Dalian, 116023, People’s Republic of China

    Xiutang Yuan, Xiaolong Yang, Guangshui Na, Anguo Zhang, Guize Liu & Lili Wang

  2. Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, 315211, People’s Republic of China

    Anguo Zhang

  3. Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, People’s Republic of China

    Yuze Mao

  4. Panjin Guanghe Crab Co. Ltd, Panjin, 124200, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaodong Li

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  1. Xiutang Yuan
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Correspondence to Xiutang Yuan.

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Yuan, X., Yang, X., Na, G. et al. Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in surface sediments from the sand flats of Shuangtaizi Estuary, China: levels, distribution, and possible sources. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 14337–14348 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4688-z

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