Bioconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in roots of three mangrove species in Jiulong River Estuary

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) concentrations were determined in the root of three mangrove species(Kandelia candel, Avicennia marina and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza) and their growing environment (sediment) in mangrove wetlands of Jiulong River Estuary, Fujian, China. The total PAHs(16 parent PAHs) in mangrove sediments ranged from 193.44 to 270.53 ng/g dw, with a mean value of 231.76 +/- 31.78 ng/g dw. Compared with other mangrove and coastal marine sediments, the PAHs concentrations of all the sampling areas in this study were at relatively lower level. The total PAHs(13 parent PAHs) values varied from 30.83 to 62.73 ng/g dw in mangrove roots. Benzo[a] pyrene(five-ring), fluoranthene (four-ring) and pyrene(four-ring) dominated in mangrove sediments. Based on ratios of phenathrene/anthracene, fluoranthene/pyrene and fluoranthene/pyrene + fluoranthene, the main possible sources of surface sediment PAHs were identified as grass, wood or coal combustion for mangrove wetlands of Jiulong River Estuary. Naphthalene (two-ring) and phenathrene (three-ring) were the most abundant compounds in mangrove roots. Sediment-to-vegetation bioconcentration factors (BCF(SV)s) were calculated and their relationships with PAHs' physico-chemical properties were investigated. The average BCF(SV)s of PAHs for three mangrove species roots were almost all under the level of 1 except for naphthalene. Good linear relationship between BCFSV values for mangrove roots and PAHs water solubility, octanol-water partitioning coefficients was derived in present study. The solubility and the octanol-water partition coefficient were proved to be good predictors for the accumulation of PAHs in mangrove roots, respectively.