Concentrations and patterns of polychlorinated naphthalenes in surface sediment samples from Wuxi, Suzhou, and Nantong, in East China. (November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Linli; Zhang, Lifei; Dong, Liang; Huang, Yeru; Li, Xiaoxiu
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 138(2015)
• Page Start: 668
• Page End: 674
• Publication Date: 2015-11
• Subjects: Polychlorinated naphthalenes -- Sediment -- Wuxi -- Suzhou -- Nantong; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.07.045
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Highlights: High polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) concentrations were found in sediment samples. The predominant PCNs were hexa- to octachlorinated. The main contributors to PCN toxicity were hexa- and heptachlorinated. Of the "dioxin-like" PCNs, CN-66/67 and CN-73 had the highest toxic equivalents. Chemical and manufacturing plants are the dominant PCN sources in the study areas. Abstract: The concentrations and patterns of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) were determined in surface sediment samples from Wuxi, Suzhou, and Nantong, in the Yangtze River Delta (East China), which has become urbanized rapidly. The total PCN (tri- to octachlorinated naphthalenes) concentrations in the samples from Wuxi, Suzhou, and Nantong were 0.89–40, 2.8–4600, and 0.60–34 ng/g dry weight, respectively. Unexpectedly high PCN concentrations were found in four of the sediment samples. The PCN concentrations were much higher in the samples from the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal than in the samples from the Yangtze River. The toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations (determined from the concentrations of the "dioxin-like" PCNs) ranged from 1.45 × 10 −7 to 2.16 ng TEQ/g, and the congeners CN-66/67 and CN-73 were the predominant contributors to the TEQs. Independent samples t -tests were performed, and no significant differences were found between the PCN concentrations in the samples from the metropolitan area and the development zone when the four development-zone samples that contained very high PCN concentrations were excluded. The PCN profiles were dominated by the hexa- to octachlorinated naphthalene homologs. The CN-66/67 to CN-71/72 and CN-66 to CN-67 concentration ratios were used to identify specific PCN sources. Emissions from chemical and other industrial plants were found to have strongly influenced the PCN concentrations in sediment in the study area.