Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Source apportionment of sediment-associated aliphatic hydrocarbon in a eutrophicated shallow lake, China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Chaohu Lake, one of the most eutrophicated lakes in China, has been suffering from long-term outside pollution, urban sewage, river outflows, and agricultural runoff which expectedly have been the main contributors of hydrocarbons. However, the contributions from these various sources have not been specified. The present study is aimed at identifying the potential sources of hydrocarbons in surface sediment around the whole lake and assessing the relative contributions using principal components analysis–multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR). Sixty-one surface sediments covering the whole Chaohu Lake and three main estuaries of inflowing rivers were collected, dried, extracted, and analyzed for 27 normal alkanes (n-alkanes, from C12 to C38, defined Σ27AH) and unresolved complex mixture (UCM) by GC/MS. Diagnostic ratios and PCA-MLR were utilized to apportion their sources. The concentrations of Σ27AH and UCM ranged from 434 to 3,870 ng/g and 11.9 to 325 μg/g dry weight, respectively, for all samples. The concentrations of Σ27AH in western region and estuary of Nanfei River were slightly higher but without statistical significance than those from eastern region and estuaries of Yuxi River and Hangbu River. The concentration of UCM from western region was significantly higher than that obtained from eastern region. These results reflect the importance of input of urban runoff by Nanfei River and serious eutrophication in western region. Aliphatic hydrocarbons in Chaohu Lake were mainly derived from high plant wax with mixed sources of phytoplankton and petroleum. Weak microbial decomposition of n-alkanes would be expected to occur from the low ratios of isoprenoid hydrocarbons pristine (pri) and phytane (phy) to n-C17 and n-C18, respectively. Higher plant, fossil combustion, petroleum residue, and phytoplankton were proposed as the main origines of aliphatic hydrocarbons by PCA while the contributions of individual n-alkane homologues, pri and phy from the identified sources (31 % from higher plant, 30 % from fossil combustion, 26 % from petroleum, and 19 % from phytoplankton) were well predicted using MLR. The distribution profile and corresponding diagnostic ratios of normal alkanes show the promising potential as a useful proxy for estimating the source and loading of pollutants in Chaohu Lake.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference

  • Ansari AA, Lanza GR, Gill SS, Rast W (2011) Eutrophication: causes, consequences and control. Chapter 3: eutrophication processes in arid climates. Springer, Berlin, 70 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Bi XH, Sheng GY, Peng PA, Chen YJ, Zhang ZQ, Fu JM (2003) Distribution of particulate- and vapor-phase n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban atmosphere of Guangzhou. China Atmos Environ 37:289–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blumer M, Thomas DW (1965) Phytadienes in zooplankton. Science 147:1148–1149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blumer M, Guillard RRL, Chase T (1971) Hydrocarbons of marine phytoplankton. Mar Biol 8:183–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng J, Li X-D, Hua R-M, Tang J, Lu H-X (2008) Distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments of Chaohu Lake. J Agro-Environ Sci 27:1403–1408

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cincinelli A, Mandorlo S, Dickhut RM, Lepri L (2003) Particulate organic compounds in the atmosphere surrounding an industrialised area of Prato (Italy). Atmos Environ 37:3125–3133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Das SK, Routh J, Roychoudhury AN (2009) Biomarker evidence of macrophyte and plankton community changes in Zeekoevlei, a shallow lake in South Africa. J Paleolimnol 41:507–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis CC (1964) Evidence for the eutrophication of Lake Erie from phytoplankton records. Limnol Oceanogr 9:275–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Souza DB, Machado KS, Froehner S, Scapulatempo CF, Bleninger T (2011) Distribution of n-alkanes in lacustrine sediments from subtropical lake in Brazil. Chemie der Erde-Geochem 71:171–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deng D-G, Xie P, Zhou Q, Yang H, Guo L-G (2007) Studies on temporal and spatial variations of phytoplankton in Lake Chaohu. J Integr Plant Biol 49:409–418

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Doskey PV (2000) Spatial variations and chronologies of aliphatic hydrocarbons in Lake Michigan sediments. Environ Sci Tech 35:247–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doskey PV, Talbot RW (2000) Sediment chronologies of atmospheric deposition in a precipitation-dominated seepage lake. Limnol Oceanogr 45:895–904

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eganhouse RP, Kaplan IR (1982) Extractable organic matter in municipal wastewaters. 2. Hydrocarbons molecular characterization. Environ Sci Tech 16:541–551

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Environmental Protection Department of Anhui Province (2009) The tenth five-year plan on water pollution prevention from Chaohu Watershed. Environmental Protection Department of Anhui Province, Anhui

  • Ficken KJ, Li B, Swain DL, Eglinton G (2000) An n-alkane proxy for the sedimentary input of submerged/floating freshwater aquatic macrophytes. Org Geochem 31:745–749

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez-Belinchon JI, Llop R, Grimalt JO, Albaigés J (1988) The decoupling of hydrocarbons and fatty acids in the dissolved and particulate water phases of a deltaic environment. Mar Chem 25:325–348

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gough MA, Rowland SJ (1990) Characterization of unresolved complex mixtures of hydrocarbons in petroleum. Nature 344:648–650

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grimalt J, Albaigés J, Al-Saad HT, Douabul AAZ (1985) n-Alkane distributions in surface sediments from the Arabian Gulf. Naturwissenschaften 72:35–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jardé E, Mansuy L, Faure P (2005) Organic markers in the lipidic fraction of sewage sludges. Water Res 39:1215–1232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeng W-L (2006) Higher plant n-alkane average chain length as an indicator of petrogenic hydrocarbon contamination in marine sediments. Mar Chem 102:242–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jeng W-L, Lin S, Kao S-J (2003) Distribution of terrigenous lipids in marine sediments off northeastern Taiwan. Deep Sea Res Part 2 Top Stud Oceanogr 50:1179–1201

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin X-C (2003) Analysis of eutrophication state and trend for lakes in China. Limnol Oceanogr 62:60–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Jobson AM, Cook FD, Westlake DWS (1979) Interaction of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in petroleum biodegradation. Chem Geol 24:355–365

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall C, Silva SR, Kelly VJ (2001) Carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of particulate organic matter in four large river systems across the United States. Hydrol Process 15:1301–1346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liebezeit G, Wöstmann R (2009) n-alkanes as indicators of natural and anthropogenic organic matter sources in the Siak River and its Estuary, E Sumatra, Indonesia. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 83:403–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu W (2007) The water quality analysis of Lake Chaohu when the cyanobacteria was occurred. Environ Monit China (in Chinese) 23:101–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Mille G, Asia L, Guiliano M, Malleret L, Doumenq P (2007) Hydrocarbons in coastal sediments from the Mediterranean sea (Gulf of Fos area, France). Mar Pollut Bull 54:566–575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan C-R, Wang J-Q, Zheng Z-X, Liu J-J, Yin F-C (2007) Forms of phosphorus and nitrogen existing in sediments in Chaohu Lake. J Ecol Rural Environ 23:43–47

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pang C-R, Wang J-Q, Zheng Z-X, Liu J-J, Yin F-C (2007) Forms of phosphorus and nitrogen existing in sediments in Chaohu Lake. J Ecol Rural Environ 23:43–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy CM, Eglinton TI, Palić R, Benitez-Nelson BC, Stojanović G, Palić I, Djordjević S, Eglinton G (2000) Even carbon number predominance of plant wax n-alkanes: a correction. Org Geochem 31:331–336

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rieley G, Collier RJ, Jones DM, Eglinton G (1991) The biogeochemistry of Ellesmere Lake, U.K.-I: source correlation of leaf wax inputs to the sedimentary lipid record. Org Geochem 17:901–912

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rommerskirchen F, Eglinton G, Dupont L, Güntner U, Wenzel C, Rullkötter J (2003) A north to south transect of Holocene southeast Atlantic continental margin sediments: relationship between aerosol transport and compound-specific δ13C land plant biomarker and pollen records. Geochem Geophys Geosyst 4:1–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seuffert O (1992) Soil erosion and lake eutrophication−the case of Chaohu Lake. J Environ Sci (China) 4:73–80

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shang G-P, Shang J-C (2005) Causes and control countermeasures of eutrophication in Chaohu Lake, China. Chin Geogr Sci 15:348–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shang GP, Shang JC (2007) Spatial and temporal variations of eutrophication in Western Chaohu Lake. China Environ Monit Assess 130:99–109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Standley LJ, Kaplan LA, Smith D (2000) Molecular tracers of organic matter sources to surface water resources. Environ Sci Tech 34:3124–3130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • State Environmental Protection Administration 1996: The State of Environment in China (1995)

  • Statistical Bureau of Anhui Province (2010): Anhui Statistical Yearbook, Hefei

  • Steinhauer MS, Boehm PD (1992) The composition and distribution of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons in nearshore sediments, river sediments, and coastal peat of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea: implications for detecting anthropogenic hydrocarbon inputs. Mar Environ Res 33:223–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang W-Z, Shan B-Q, Zhang H, Mao Z-P (2010) Heavy metal sources and associated risk in response to agricultural intensification in the estuarine sediments of Chaohu Lake Valley, East China. J Hazard Mater 176:945–951

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tolasa I, Bayona JM, Albaigés J (1996) Aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur/oxygen derivatives in Northwestern Mediterranean sediments: spatial and temporal variability, fluxes, and budgets. Environ Sci Technol 30:2495–2503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veerasingam S, Venkatachalapathy R, Sudhakar S, Raja P, Rajeswari V (2011) Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in eight mollusc species along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal. India J Environ Sci 23:1129–1134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J-Z, Zhang K, Liang B, Zeng EY (2011) Occurrence, source apportionment and toxicity assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of Chaohu, one of the largest shallow eutrophic lakes in China. J Environ Monit 13:3336–3342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J-Z, Li H-Z, You J (2012a) Distribution and toxicity of current-use insecticides in sediment of a lake receiving waters from areas in transition to urbanization. Environ Pollut 161:128–133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang J-Z, Zhang K, Liang B (2012b) Tracing urban sewage pollution in Chaohu Lake (China) using linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) as a molecular marker. Sci Total Environ 414:356–363

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Y, Zhang J, Mi TZ, Li B (2001) Occurrence of n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the core sediments of the Yellow Sea. Mar Chem 76:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu S-P, Tao S, Zhang Z-H, Lan T, Zuo Q (2007) Characterization of TSP-bound n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at rural and urban sites of Tianjin. China Environ Pollut 147:203–210

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu M-Q, Cao H, Xie P, Deng D-G, Feng W-S, Xu J (2005) The temporal and spatial distribution, composition and abundance of Protozoa in Chaohu Lake, China: Relationship with eutrophication. Eur J Protistol 41:183–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye BX, Zhang ZHM, Ting (2007) Petroleum hydrocarbon in surficial sediment from rivers and canals in Tianjin, China. Chemosphere 68:140–149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Youngblood WW, Blumer M (1973) Alkanes and alkenes in marine benthic algae. Mar Biol 21:163–172

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zan F-Y, Huo S-L, Xi B-D, Li Q-Q, Liao H-Q, Zhang J-T (2011a) Phosphorus distribution in the sediments of a shallow eutrophic lake, Lake Chaohu, China. Environ Earth Sci 62:1643–1653

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zan F-Y, Huo S-L, Xi B-D, Su J, Li X, Zhang J-T, Yeager KM (2011b) A 100 year sedimentary record of heavy metal pollution in a shallow eutrophic lake, Lake Chaohu. China J Environ Monit 13:2788–2797

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Xu J, Xie P (2007) Metals in surface sediments of large shallow eutrophic Lake Chaohu. China Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 79:242–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Xu J, Xie P (2008) Nitrogen dynamics in large shallow eutrophic Lake Chaohu. China Environ Geol 55:1–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng M, Fang M, Wang F, To KL (2000) Characterization of the solvent extractable organic compounds in PM2.5 aerosols in Hong Kong. Atmos Environ 34:2691–2702

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The present study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 40903039 and 41130206) and many thanks also go to Kai Zhang and Bo Liang from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, China Academy of Science and Jing-Liang Mei from the University of Science and Technology of China for field sampling, and Hua-Shan Chen from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, China Academy of Science for organic carbon analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China

    Ji-Zhong Wang & Tian-Hu Chen

  2. College of Chemistry and Materials, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Ze-Yu Yang

Authors
  1. Ji-Zhong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ze-Yu Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tian-Hu Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Ji-Zhong Wang or Tian-Hu Chen.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Hongwen Sun

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 3266 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, JZ., Yang, ZY. & Chen, TH. Source apportionment of sediment-associated aliphatic hydrocarbon in a eutrophicated shallow lake, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 19, 4006–4015 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-0988-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-0988-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation