Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution, sources, and ecological risk assessment of SVOCs in surface sediments from Guan River Estuary, China

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The contamination of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in the surface sediments of the Guan River Estuary, China was fully investigated. Total concentrations of 56 species of SVOCs ranged from 132 to 274 ng/g with an average of 186 ng/g (dry weight). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations were positively correlated with clay content and negatively correlated with sediment grain size. Source identification indicated that PAHs originated mainly from pyrolytic sources. However, intense ship traffic in the estuary may provide sources of petrogenic PAHs. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) mainly originated from direct input of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) during some industrial processes. The SVOC concentrations were also compared with International Sediments Quality Guidelines and Sediments Quality Criteria, and the results indicated that negative biological impacts may originate from high concentrations of FLO, p,p′-DDE, and total DDTs.

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

References

  • Baumard, P., Budzinski, H., & Garrigues, P. (1998). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments and mussels of the Western Mediterranean Sea. Environmental Chemistry, 7, 765–776.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bopp, R. F., Simpson, H. J., Olsen, C. R., Trier, R. M., & Kostyk, N. (1982). Chlorinated hydrocarbons and radio nuclide chronologies in sediments of the Hudson River and Estuary, New York. Environmental Science & Technology, 16, 666–676.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Budzinski, H., Jones, I., Bellocq, J., Pierrad, C., & Garrigues, P. (1997). Evaluation of sediment contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Gironde estuary. Marine Chemistry, 58, 85–97.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, B. L., He, X. R., Wang, T. Y., & Liu, H. (2008). Heavy metals pollution and potential ecological risk in sediment of Lianyungang sea area. Marine Environmental Science, 27, 246–249 (in Chinese).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chiou, C. T., McGroddy, S. E., & Kile, D. E. (1998). Partition characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on soils and sediments. Environmental Science and Technology, 32, 264–269.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • [ECM] Environment Canada and Ministère du développement durable, de I’Environment et des Parcs du Québec (2007). Criteria for the assessment of sediment quality in Quebec and application frameworks: prevention, dredging and remediation (pp. 1–39). Québec: Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication.

  • El Nemr, A., El-Sadaawy, M. M., Khaled, A., & Draz, S. O. (2013a). Aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the surface sediments of the Mediterranean: assessment and source recognition of petroleum hydrocarbons. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185, 4571–4589.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El Nemr, A., Moneer, A. A., Khaled, A., & El-Sikaily, A. (2013b). Levels, distribution, and risk assessment of organochlorines in surficial sediments of the Red Sea coast, Egypt. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185, 4835–4853.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu, J. M., Mai, B. X., Sheng, G. Y., Zhang, G., Wang, X. M., Peng, P. A., et al. (2003). Persistent organic pollutants in environment of the Pearl River Delta, China: an overview. Chemosphere, 52, 1411–1422.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hahladakis, J., Smaragdaki, E., Vasilaki, G., & Gidarakos, E. (2013). Use of sediment quality guidelines and pollution indicators for the assessment of heavy metal and PAH contamination in Greek surficial sea and lake sediments. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185, 2843–2853.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heemken, O. P., Stachel, B., Theobald, N., & Wenclawiak, B. W. (2000). Temporal variability of organic micropollutants in suspended particulate matter of the River Elbe at Hamburg and the River Mulde at Dessau, Germany. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 38(1), 11–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, L. M., Zhang, G., Zheng, B. H., Qin, Y. W., Lin, T., & Guo, Z. G. (2009). Occurrence and distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments of the Bohai Sea, China. Chemosphere, 77, 663–672.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, J. X., & Yin, Y. (2007). Features and significance of heavy metal accumulation in tidal flat surface sediments of Guanhe Estuary. Environmental Protection Science, 33, 35–37 (in Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, W. X., Wang, Z. Y., & Yan, W. (2012). Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediments from Zhanjiang Bay and Leizhou Bay, South China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 64, 1962–1969.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuo, J. Y., Ko, F. C., Cheng, J. O., Meng, P. J., Li, J. J., & Hung, C. C. (2012). Environmental assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the surface sediments of a remote region on the eastern coast, Taiwan. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 184, 2967–2979.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lammel, G., Ghim, Y. S., Grados, A., Gao, H., Huhnerfuss, H., & Lohmann, R. (2007). Levels of persistent organic pollutants in air in China and over the Yellow Sea. Atmospheric Environment, 41, 452–464.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, Y. H., Cao, Z. M., & Nie, X. H. (2005). Extraction of organochlorine pesticides in sediments using soxhlet, ultrasonic and accelerated solvent extraction techniques. Journal of Ocean University of China, 4, 173–176.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, W. Y., Lou, F., & Yu, Z. Y. (2006). Analysis of river channel scour and silting evolution and natural condition of navigation channel in the Guanhe River Estuary area. Coastal Engineering, 25, 14–21 (in Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y., Song, C. W., Li, Y., Liu, Y., & Song, J. M. (2012). The distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments of Bohai Sea Bay, China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 184, 1921–1927.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long, E. R., MacDonald, D. D., Smith, S. L., & Calder, F. D. (1995). Incidence of adverse biological effects within ranges of chemical concentrations in marine and estuarine sediments. Environmental Management, 19, 81–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, E. R., Field, L. J., & MacDonald, D. D. (1998). Predicting toxicity in marine sediments with numerical sediment quality guidelines. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 17, 714–727.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long, E. R., Ingersoll, C. G., & MacDonald, D. D. (2006). Calculation and uses of mean sediment quality guideline quotient: a critical review. Environmental Science and Technology, 40, 1726–1736.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, M., Zeng, D. C., Liao, Y., & Tong, B. (2012). Distribution and characterization of organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediment from Poyang Lake, China. Science of the Total Environment, 433, 491–497.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, X. M., Liu, C. M., & He, M. C. (2004). Sorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by soils and sediments: a review. Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 13, 394–398.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, D. D., Carr, R. S., Calder, F. D., Long, E. R., & Ingersoll, C. G. (1996). Development and evaluation of sediment quality guidelines for Florida coastal waters. Ecotoxicology, 5, 253–278.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, D. D., Ingersoll, C. G., & Berger, T. A. (2000). Development and evaluation of consensus-based sediment quality guidelines for freshwater ecosystems. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 39, 20–31.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Magi, E., Bianco, R., Ianni, C., & Carro, M. (2002). Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediments of the Adriatic Sea. Environmental Pollution, 119, 91–98.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marin-Morales, M. A., Leme, D. M., & Mazzeo, D. E. (2009). A review of the hazardous effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on living organisms. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: pollution, health effects and chemistry (pp. 1–49). New York: Nova Science Publishers.

  • Schmitt, C. J., Zajicek, J. L., & Peterman, P. H. (1990). National contaminant biomonitoring program: residues of organochlorine chemicals in US freshwater fish, 1976–1984. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 19, 748–781.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sicre, M. A., Marty, J. C., Saliot, A., Aparicio, X., Grimalt, J., & Albaiges, J. (1987). Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in different sized aerosols over the Mediterranean Sea: occurrence and origin. Atmospheric Environment, 21, 2247–2259.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soclo, H. H., Garrigues, P. H., & Ewald, M. (2000). Origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coastal marine sediments: case studies in Cotonou (Benin) and Aquitaine (France) areas. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 40, 387–396.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tamamura, S., Sato, T., Ota, Y., Wang, X., Tang, N., & Hayakawa, K. (2007). Long-range transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from the eastern Asian continent to Kanazawa, Japan with Asian dust. Atmospheric Environment, 41, 2580–2593.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, X. C., Sun, S., Ma, H. Q., & Liu, Y. (2006). Sources and distribution of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 52, 129–138.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H. Z., He, M. C., Lin, C. Y., Quan, X. C., Guo, W., & Yang, Z. F. (2007). Monitoring and assessment of persistent organochlorine residues in sediments from the Daliaohe River Watershed, Northeast of China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 133, 231–242.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H. S., Zhang, C., Liang, P., Shao, D. D., Kang, Y., Wu, S. C., et al. (2010). Characterization of PAHs in surface sediments of aquaculture farms around the Pearl River Delta. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 73, 900–906.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., Li, X. G., Peng, X. W., Tang, X. L., & Deng, X. Y. (2012). Optimization of sample pretreatment for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in estuarine sediments by gas chromatography. Journal of Ocean University of China, 11, 159–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Warren, N., Allan, I. J., Carter, J. E., House, W. A., & Parker, A. (2003). Pesticides and other micro-organic contaminants in freshwater sedimentary environments—a review. Applied Geochemistry, 18, 159–194.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, Y., Zhang, J., & Zhou, Q. (1999). Persistent organochlorine residues in sediments from Chinese River Estuary Systems. Environmental Pollution, 105, 143–150.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, S. L. (1999). Tidal wetland sedimentation in the Yangtze Delta. Journal of Coastal Research, 15, 1091–1099.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yuan, X. Y., & Liu, H. Y. (2003). Chemical composition and heavy metal characteristics of sediments in the coast, northern Jiangsu Province. Volcanology and Mineral Resources, 24, 204–210 (in Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Yunker, M. B., Macdonald, R. W., Vingarzan, R., Mitchell, R. H., Goyette, D., & Sylvestre, S. (2002). PAHs in the Fraser river basin: a critical appraisal of PAH ratios as indicators of PAH source and composition. Organic Geochemistry, 33, 489–515.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zedeck, M. S. (1980). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: a review. Journal of Environmental Pathology and Toxicology, 3, 537–567.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng, S. Y., Zeng, L., Dong, X., & Chen, J. N. (2013). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in river sediments from the western and southern catchments of the Bohai Sea, China: toxicity assessment and source identification. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 185, 4291–4303.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51179053), the Science and Technology Development Project in Lianyungang City (SH1113), and the Environmental Technology Project in Jiangsu Province (2010043).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environment, Hohai University, No. 1 Xikang Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, 210098, China

    Xinran He, Yong Pang & Yiping Li

  2. Lianyungang Environmental Monitoring Central Station, No. 78 Haichang South Road, Xinpu District, Lianyungang, 222001, China

    Xinran He & Xiaojuan Song

  3. Lianyungang Environmental Protection Bureau, No. 78 Haichang South Road, Xinpu District, Lianyungang, 222001, China

    Binlin Chen

  4. College of Marine Science & Technology, Huaihai Institute of Technology, No. 59 Cangwu Road, Xinpu District, Lianyungang, 222005, China

    Zhihua Feng

Authors
  1. Xinran He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaojuan Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yong Pang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yiping Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Binlin Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zhihua Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xinran He.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

He, X., Song, X., Pang, Y. et al. Distribution, sources, and ecological risk assessment of SVOCs in surface sediments from Guan River Estuary, China. Environ Monit Assess 186, 4001–4012 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3675-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3675-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation