PAH distribution in surface sediments from New York/New Jersey Harbor complex

摘要

We examined the spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 1990s sediments from the New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) Harbor complex. Total PAH concentrations (ΣPAH, the sum of 16 EPA parent PAHs) range from 900 to 80,200 ng/g dry weight. The highest PAH levels were observed in sediments from Newtown Creek, which received the effluent of a huge secondary sewage treatment plant. Central Park Lake sediments had an unexpectedly high ΣPAH level (14,500 ng/g). Four molecular ratios, Fl/(Fl + Py), Par/(Par+Alkyl), Ring456/TPAH (proportion of high mass 4-6 ring PAHs to total PAH), and C_0/(C_0 + C_1) F/P (ratio of parental Fl, Py series) were spatially correlated to each other. These four well-correlated ratios demonstrated consistently that although combustion-derived PAHs were dominant in all samples, some contributions from petroleum were observed in Kill van Kull and some samples from main stem of the Hudson.