Distribution and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from Bohai Sea, China
渤海表层沉积物中多环芳烃的分布与生态风险评价

By using the data of the Second Survey of Marine Pollution Baseline, the spatial distribution and main sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the surface sediments from BoHai Sea were investigated. The results showed that the concentration of total PAHs from high to low were the coastal area at Qinhuangdao, Liaodong Bay, Laizhou Bay, the costal area at Liaodong Peninsula, the outer sea area and the coastal area at Bohai Bay. Compared with the corresponding quality guidelines, Qinhuangdao and Liaodong Bay would have stronger ecological risk. As to the compositions of parent PAHs, The proportion of the low molecular components at Jinzhou Bay was high, while the components with 4 or 5 rings were dominant in other areas. Based on Fluoranthene/Pyrene and Pyrene/Benzo(a)pyrene ratios, the main source of PAHs was identified from petroleum industry at Jinzhou Bay, petrolic combustion turned into the source in Qinhuangdao and part of Liaodong Bay, and coal-burning was primary in the other areas. The reason why the concentrations of PAHs in the outer sea area were higher than inshore sea in Bohai Bay was probably the adsorption of PAHs originated from fossil fuel combustion on fine particles followed by transfer and deposition.