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Elucidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon sources in the sinking particles in Lake Biwa, Japan

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Abstract

We examined monthly changes in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment trap samples collected from the northern basin of Lake Biwa, Japan, from September 2003 to July 2004 to elucidate the sources of PAHs in the lake. The most abundant concentrations were those of pyrene and fluoranthene, at μg g−1 levels throughout the sampling period, with a strong positive relationship (r = 0.996, n = 10, P < 0.01). From the monthly changes in each PAH concentration and their ratios, we suspected two different sources: petroleum sources of lighter PAHs and combustion sources of middle to heavier PAHs. Because pyrene and fluoranthene decreased significantly with time during the sampling period (P < 0.05) and an abnormally high ratio of phenanthrene to anthracene was reported in September 2003, it appears that petroleum was accidentally spilled in September 2003. Although perylene was commonly found at μg g−1 levels in the sediment, its concentration was comparable with those of the other PAHs in sediment trap samples. As perylene showed no significant relationship with other PAHs or other indicator molecules, we suspect that the source of perylene was different from those of other PAHs, and the perylene was mainly formed from its precursors after deposition.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. Yasuaki Aota, Institute of Nature and Environmental Technology, Kanazawa University, for collecting sediment trap samples during 2003–2004, and to Dr. Syuhei Ban, University of Shiga Prefecture, for providing sediment trap samples collected in summer 2008. This study was partially supported by Kanazawa University’s twenty-first century COE program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, and by the Global Environment Research Fund (Fa-084) from the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Umezono, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8563, Japan

    Nobuyasu Itoh

  2. Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Kita 10, Nishi 5, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan

    Shuji Tamamura

  3. Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 12, Nishi 6, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan

    Tsutomu Sato

  4. Lake Biwa Research Institute, 5-34 Yanagasaki, Otsu, Shiga, 520-0022, Japan

    Michio Kumagai

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  1. Nobuyasu Itoh
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  2. Shuji Tamamura
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  3. Tsutomu Sato
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  4. Michio Kumagai
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Correspondence to Nobuyasu Itoh.

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Itoh, N., Tamamura, S., Sato, T. et al. Elucidation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon sources in the sinking particles in Lake Biwa, Japan. Limnology 11, 241–250 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-009-0309-1

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