Occurrence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) together with sediment properties in the surface sediments of the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea and Canada Basin

• Published in: Chemosphere
• Main Authors: Hong, Qingquan, Wang, Yun, Luo, Xiaojun, Chen, Shejun, Chen, Jigang, Cai, Minghong, Cai, Minggang, 蔡明刚
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD 2012
• Subjects: Polychlorinated biphenyls; Sediments; Black carbon; Arctic; Chukchi Sea; Bering Sea; Canada; black carbon; canada basin; Chukchi
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.05.033; http://dspace.xmu.edu.cn/handle/2288/14855

The spatial distribution and potential source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in surface sediments from Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Canada Basin and the relationship between PCBs and sedimentary properties including grain size, water content, loss on ignition, total organic carbon, and black carbon were explored. Sigma PCBs (the sum of the detected PCB congeners) concentrations fluctuated in the study area, ranging from 22-150,60-640 and 24-600 pg g(-1) dry weight for the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Canada Basin. A similar homologue pattern was observed at different locations, with tri-chlorinated PCBs being the dominant homologue, implying that the PCBs came mainly from the atmospheric transportation and deposition and ocean current transportation. No apparent co-relationships between PCB concentrations and sediment properties were obtained, indicating that the distribution of PCBs was not only controlled by their source, but also by the multi-factors such as atmospheric transport and depositing, mixing, partitioning and sorption in the water column and sediments. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [40776040, 40306012]; Ocean Public Welfare Scientific Research Project, the State Oceanic Administration of China [200805095]