A TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF IN DIOXIN-FURAN CONTAMINATION PATTERNS IN THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER, NEW JERSEY

摘要

Sediment core sampling results from the 1995 United States Environmental Protection Agencies Passaic River Remedial Investigation were investigated for temporal changes in dioxin-furan congener patterns. Dioxin-furan contamination patterns were identified through principal component analysis and cluster analysis using source signatures found in the literature. Temporal characteristics were determined from both radioisotope dating and the use of historical bathymetric data from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Core samples showed complex array of dioxin-furan congener patterns with numerous dioxin sources including combustion sources, chemical discharges and sewage treatment plants. Surficial samples were dominated by octa-chlorinated dioxins indicating the vast majority of contemporary sources are combustion related. Subsurface core samples showed a higher level of contamination, both in concentrations and toxicity. Dioxin congener distribution in the lower core samples are dominated by lower chlorinated dioxins, especially 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-dioxin the most toxic dioxin congener.