TP4 Marine Environmental Chemistry of Organic Pollutants
Tuesday, 15 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM in Exhibit Hall

(CAI-1118-068351) Distribution of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface suspended Particle of the South China Sea.

Cai, M¹, Wang, X¹, Qi, A¹, Li, W¹, ¹ College of Oceanography and Environmental Science, Xiamen, Fujian, People's Republic ofChina

ABSTRACT- The ocean has been hypothesized as being a major global sink for Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The suspended particle especially particulate organic carbon is thought to be the factor principally responsible for the transport of PAHs from surface water to the sediments. Investigation of PAHs in the South China Sea is a very important part of the study of environment quality assessment and the biogeochemistry process of PAHs. PAHs in surface suspended Particle were collected in more than 40 stations of the South China Sea and determined by GC and GC-MS methods. Total PAHs (16 compounds) concentrations in suspended particles of the north of the South China Sea range from 0.62-29.71 ng/l with a mean value of 3.79 ng/l; while those in the Southern varied between 0.39 and 26.07 ng/l with an average value of 4.81 ng/l. PAHs in the north of the South China Sea were dominated by low molecular mass compounds (2-ring), while PAHs in the Southern were mainly derived from 3-4 ring compounds. The spatial variations of PAHs in those two areas are different. In the north of the South China Sea, the highest concentration of PAHs were observed near the the southern coast of China and decrease from coastal continental shelf to open sea. However, there were two high values in the southern of the South China Sea. One is near the eastern coast of Vietnam, and the other is near Palawan and Kalimantan. The sources of PAHs in surface particles in different area of the South China Sea were discussed by comparing their Phe/Ant and Fluo/Pyr ratio, which show there are different sources of PAHs in the Nansha Islands Sea. In addition, The vertical profiles of suspended particulate PAHs in two stations were also studied. The relationship between the content of PAHs and POC is discussed.

Key words: distribution, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), surface suspended Particle, the South China Sea