Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sedicments from the Elizabeth River Subesturary

Abstract The concentration and nature of mainly aromatic and polar organic compounds in surface sediments form the Elizabeth River was assessed in 28 samples, using methodlology combining simplicity and reliability so that it scould be applied in a quasi routine fashion. The analyses reveal unsubstituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as major components of these sediments, indicating an origin form high temperature processes. The conspicuous absence of cyclopenta (c,d)pyrene in these samples is characteristic of an origin form coal. Concentrations of PAHs were highest in the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, where the sum of 14 generally abundant pyrogenic PAHs in one sample was 170 ppm and could be traced to two massive spills of wood preservatives. This maximum concentration decreases exponentially towards the mouth of the river with a correlation coefficient of -0.92 and fits a diffusion-advection model for -k/w=3.5km. The physcial details of the processes dispersing these PAHs are not understood.