Pollution History of the Savannah Estuary. National Status and Trends Program for211 Marine Environmental Quality

摘要

Dated cores collected from different sites in the Savannah Estuary were analyzed211u001efor 16 metals, 22 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), 20 polychlorinated 211u001ebiphenyls (PCB) congeners, 16 pesticides and 3 butylins. Time stratigraphy of the 211u001ecores were determined by measurements of Pb-210 and Cs-137 activities down the 211u001ecores. Those chemicals which showed significant temporal changes down dated cores 211u001ein the Savannah Estuary included mercury, lead, chromium, PAHs, DDT isomers and 211u001emetabolites, PCBs and dieldrin. The present study used cores from the Savannah 211u001eEstuary, where the population is relatively low (approximately 150,000) and 211u001eindustrial growth has occurred over the past 30 years. Thus, the concentrations 211u001eof most anthropogenic chemical found in the cores of the Savannah Estuary were 211u001ecomparatively low. An interesting aspect of the study, which has been noted by 211u001emany pollution history studies, was the decrease in the concentration of 211u001eanthropogenic chemicals during the past two decades suggesting that many 211u001epollution control laws have been effective, even while industrial and population 211u001egrowth continues in an area. In summation, the authors' studies present evidence 211u001eof relatively large inputs of anthropogenic chemicals, including mercury, 211u001echromium, lead, polycycloic aromatic hydrocarbons, dieldrin, DDT isomers, and 211u001epolychlorinated biphenyls, during the 1950s and 1960 into the Savannah Estuary 211u001efollowed by a gradual decrease of these chemicals during the past 20 to 30 years.