Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potentially carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds that have raised considerable environmental concern. The highest concentrations of PAHs in the coastal sediment samples in China was 5.8–11.0μg/g (dry weight) in the core from the Huangpu River, Shanghai. The second highest concentration of PAHs was 4.42μg/g (dry weight) in surface sediment of Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, and 5.73μg/g (dry weight) in sediment of Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao City. The low concentrations of PAHs were always in the sediments far away from industrial zones and cities, and ranged from 0.10 to 0.30μg/g (dry weight). Several environmental parameters are considered for the identification of sources of PAHs in marine environment. High proportion of naphthalene, low molecular weight PAHs and alkylated PAHs, plus high ratio of phenanthrene to anthracene (>15) and low ratio of fluoranthene to pyrene (<1) suggested a petrogenic source. According to these parameters, the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary of Shanghai, Jiaozhou Bay of Qingdao City, Zhujiang (Pearl) River mouth, Jiulong River mouth and most of Hong Kong coastal waters were heavily contaminated by PAHs from petrogenic sources. However, PAHs in rural coastal areas were dominated by pyrolytic origin PAHs. This review clearly showed that oil pollution and incomplete combustion of oil, coal and biomass are the main reason for PAHs anormalies in the study areas.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aizenshtat, Z., 1973. Perylene and its geochemical significance.Geochem. Cosmochem. Acta 37: 559–567.
Budzinski, H., I. Jones, J. Bellocq, C. Pierad, S. P. Garrigue, 1997. Evaluation of sediment contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Gironde estuary.Marine Chemistry 58: 85–97.
Broom, Y. S., S. H. Leung, W. C. Sze, Y. H. Wong, 1999. Hong Kong present challenge: profile of the environment in the 1990’s W. W. F. Hong Kong.
Du, S. W., 2000. Structure of China economic development and its environmental problems. Beijing Printing House, Beijing.
Florig, H. K., 1997. China’s air pollution risks.Enviro. Sci. Tech. 31: (6): 274–279.
Gschwend, P. M., R. A. Hites, 1981. Fluxes of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to marine and lacustrine sediments in the northeastern United States.Geochem. Cosmochem. Acta 45: 2359–2367.
Jakson, T. J., T. L. Wade, T. J. McDonald, D. L. Wilkinson, J. M. Brooks, 1994. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants in oysters from the Gulf of Mexico (1986–1990).Environ. Poll. 83: 291–298.
Liu, M., P. J. Baugh, S. M. Hutchinson, L. Yu, S. Xu, 2000. Historical record sources polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in core sediments from the Yangtze Estuary, China.Environ. Poll. 110: 357–365.
Ma, M., Z. Feng, C. Guan, H. Ma, H. Li, 2001. DDT, PAH and PCB in sediments from the intertidal zone of Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea.Mar. Poll. Bull. 42: (2): 132–136.
Marine Department of Hong Kong, 1997. Statistical Tables 1996.Government Printer, Hong Kong, p. 1–42.
Muel, B., S. Saguem, 1985. Determination of 23 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric particulate matter of Paris area and photolysis by sun light.Environ. Sci. Tech. 19: 111–131.
Sicre, M. A., J. C. Marty, A. Saliot, X. Aparicio, J. Grimalt, J. Albaiges, 1987. Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in different sized aerosols over the Mediterranean Sea. Occurrence and origin.Atmos. Environ. 21: 2247–2259.
Sportol, S., N. Gjos, R. G. Lichtenthaler, K. O. Gustavsen, K. Urdal, F. Oreld, 1983. Source identification of aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments using GC/MS.Environ. Sci. Tech. 17: 282–286.
Wakeham, S. G., C. Schaffiner, W. Giger, 1980. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in recent lake sediment-II. Compounds derived from biogenic precursors during early diagnosis.Geochem. Cosmochem. Acta 44: 415–429.
Wu, R. S. S., 1988. Marine pollution in Hong Kong: a review.Asia Mar. Biol. 5: 1–23.
Yuana, D. X., D. N. Yamga, L. Terry, Y. R. Wadeb, Y. R. Qian, 2001. Status of persistent organic pollutants in the sediment from several estuaries in China.Environ. Poll. 114: 101–111.
Yuana, S. Y., J. S. Chang, J. H. Yen, B. V. Chang, 2001. Biodegradation of phenanthrene in river sediment.Chemosphere 43 (3): 273–278.
Yunker, M. B., R. W. MacDonald, 1995. Composition and origins of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Mackenzie River and on the Beauport Sea shelf.Arctic 48: 118–129
Zheng, J. S., B. J. Richardson, 1999. Petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Hong Kong marine sediments.Chemosphere 38 (11): 2625–2632.
Zheng, J. S., Y. Q. Tang, 1997. Oil and PAHs.In: Zhou Jiayi ed., Sources, transport and environmental impact of contaminants in the coastal and estuarine areas of China, China Ocean Press, Beijing, p. 83–90.
Zhou, J. Y., 1997. Sources, transport and environment impact of contaminants in the coastal and estuarine areas of China, China Ocean Press, Beijing.
Zhu, X. L., Y. Q. Wang, W. L. Liu, T. Zhu, 2001. Study on the characteristics of PAHs source profile of coke plant,China Environ. Sci. 21 (3): 266–269.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jinshu, Z., Richardson, B.J., Shouming, O. et al. Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) in marine environment of China. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 22, 136–145 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02842584
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02842584