Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contamination of Recent Sediments and Marine Organisms from Xiamen Bay, China

Surface marine sediments from 12 sites within Xiamen Bay (XMB) and marine organisms (clam, crab, and fish) from a heavily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated site at Yuandang Lagoon were sampled and analyzed for 16 priority PAH content by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The total PAH concentrations in sediments ranged from 203.7 to 1590.5 ng/g, with an average value of 670.0 ng/g. Overall, the total PAH concentrations were relatively lower in the east coastal zone and significantly higher in Yuandang Lagoon. These concentrations were intermediate in comparison with those observed in other estuaries in China. The sources of PAH inputs to sediments in XMB were quantitatively determined by principal components analysis with multiple linear regression. The results showed that, on average, vehicle emissions, petroleum spills, and coal combustion contributed to 41, 36, and 23% of the total PAHs, respectively. Analysis of the PAH composition pattern in marine organisms showed that the total PAHs levels of fishes were lower than those of the clam and crab. The PAH burden of the crab and calm was characterized by the non-negligible occurrence of high-molecular-weight compounds, whereas the fish PAH pattern was dominated by the lower-molecular-weight compounds. In addition, the carcinogenic PAH benzo[a]pyrene was detected in all samples. Molecular indices based on isomeric PAH ratios differentiated the uptake pathway among organisms. The water soluble matter and the petroleum seemed to be the most favorable uptake pathway in fish from Yuandang Lagoon, whereas the crab and clam shared a mix uptake by the water-soluble and the particulate matter.