Distributions of organochlorine compounds in sediments from Jiulong River Estuary and adjacent Western Taiwan Strait: Implications of transport, sources and inventories. (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Yuling; Wang, Xinhong; Ya, Miaolei; Li, Yongyu; Hong, Huasheng
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 219(2016)
• Page Start: 519
• Page End: 527
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Sediment -- OCs -- Spatial distribution -- Source -- Inventory; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.05.081
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Estuaries and coastal areas strongly influenced by terrestrial inputs resulted from anthropogenic activities. To study the distributions, origins, potential transport and burden of organochlorine compounds (OCs) from river to marginal sea, organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in surface sediments collected from a subtropical estuary (Jiulong River Estuary, JRE) and the inner shelf of adjacent Western Taiwan Strait (WTS). The concentrations of OCPs and PCBs were from 5.2 to 551.7 and 1.0–8.1 ng g −1 (dry weight), respectively. OCP concentrations in the JRE were higher than in adjacent WTS, and a decreasing trend with the ascending distance from the estuary to the open sea was observed. Concentrations of DDTs were quite high in the upper reach of the estuary, inferred from antifouling paint on fishing boats of a local shipping company. According to established sediment quality guidelines, DDTs in the JRE posed potential ecological risk. HCHs in the estuary were mainly derived from the weathered HCHs preserved in the agriculture soils via local major river runoffs. OCPs patterns showed that OCPs in the south coast of WTS were resulted from local sources via river input, while OCPs in the north coast attributed to the long-range transport derived by the Fujian-Zhejiang Coastal Current. Minor variations of PCB concentrations and homologs indicated that PCBs were not the main pollutant in the agricultural region, consistent lighter PCBs reflected industrial PCBs were transported via atmospheric deposition derived by East Asia Monsoon. Moreover, the primary distribution pattern founded for DDTs and the considerable mass inventories and burdens calculated (258.1 ng cm −2 and 10.4 tones for OCPs) that higher than Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta, together suggested that the contaminated sediments in the study area may be a potential source of OCPs to the global ocean. Highlights: OCPs and PCBs in sediment from the JRE didn't reduce over the past two decades. Concentrations of OCPs decreased from the JRE to adjacent WTS. OCPs in the south coast resulted from river input, north from China Coastal Current. Minor variations indicated PCBs were not main pollutant in agricultural region. DDTs in the WTS region is a potential source of OCPs to the global oceans.