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Calculations of the seasonal loadings of North Sea sediments with persistent aromatic organochlorines

Berechnungen von jahreszeitlich bedingten Belastungen der Nordsee-Sedimente mit beständigen aromatischen Organochlorinen

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Summary

The content and distribution of ΣPCB (as the sum of 24 individual components), HCB and p,p′-DDE was determined in sediments taken from the North Sea during two seasons.

The mass-balance of aromatic organochlorine compounds in the upper 2 cm of sediments is calculated and dicussed in relation to pollutant dispersal.

Sediments from winter and early summer exhibit nearly the same distribution patterns of ΣPCB, HCB, p,p′-DDE and organic matter content. However, the total contamination by cyclic organochlorines in sediments show significantly lower amounts during the spring plankton bloom than in winter. This difference may be caused by temporarily bound organoclorines in zooplankton. The season for the greater contents of organic matter in summer sediments may be due to an already collapsed and settled primary bloom. Contamination of one sample with polychlorinated terphenyls (PCT) was observed.

Zusammenfassung

Gehalt und Verteilung von ΣPCB (Summe von 24 individuellen Bestandteilen), HCB und p,p′-DDE wurden in Sedimenten, die zu zwei verschiedenen Jahreszeiten aus der Nordsee entnommen wurden, bestimmt.

Die Massenbilanz der Verbindungen aromatischer Organochlorine in den oberen zwei Zentimetern des Sediments wurde bestimmt und in Relation zur Schadstoffverbreitung diskutiert.

Sedimente des Winters und frühen Sommers weisen nahezu gleiche Verteilungsmuster von PCB, HCB, p,p′-DDE und dem Gehalt organischer Substanzen auf. Die Gesamtkontamination des Sediments mit zyklischen Organochlorinen zeigt jedoch signifikant niedrigere Werte während der Frühjahrsplanktonblüte. Diese Differenz mag durch zeitweilige Bindung von Organochlorinen im Zooplankton bedingt sein. Jahreszeitlich bedingt größere Vorkommen organischer Substanzen im Sommer-Sediment scheinen der schon zusammengebrochenen und abgesunkenen Primärblüte zu entstammen.

Es wurde in einer Probe eine Kontamination mit polychlorinierten Terphenylen (PCT) festgestellt.

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  1. Rainer Knickmeyer,  Oliver Landgraff &  Hans Steinhart

    Present address: Institut für Biochemie und Lebensmittelchemie der Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 2000, Hamburg 13

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    1. Rainer Knickmeyer
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    2. Oliver Landgraff
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    3. Hans Steinhart
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    Knickmeyer, R., Landgraff, O. & Steinhart, H. Calculations of the seasonal loadings of North Sea sediments with persistent aromatic organochlorines. Deutsche Hydrographische Zeitschrift 43, 289–309 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02330069

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