DISTRIBUTION OF HYDROCARBONS IN NARRAGANSETT BAY SEDIMENT CORES

Twenty cores were analyzed to provide data on the distribution of sedimentary hydrocarbons from various areas of Narragansett Bay. There was a decrease in surface (0-5 cm) sediment hydrocarbons from the Providence River to the mouth of the bay and the concentrations also decreased with depth in the cores, generally levelling off at 20-25 cm. This depth is probably related to increased petroleum utilization at the end of the 19th century. Several areas of the bay showed increasing hydrocarbons with depth, but the exact cause of this phenomenon could not be determined. The results of this study indicate that the major source of anthropogenic hydrocarbons in bay sediments is the Providence River. These compounds are introduced into the bay via tidal transport of suspended material from the river and undergo gradual sedimentation throughout the estuary. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.