Association of PAHs, PCBs, 137Cs, and 210Pb with clay, silt, and organic carbon in sediments

Abstract

The association of PAHs, PCBs, 137Cs, and 210Pb with various components of sediments, i.e., clay, silt, and organic carbon is determined. The work is based on the data from 6 deep (2-3 m) vibra cores collected from a stretch of the Kinnickinnic River running through Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Priority organics were determined by extraction, clean-up, and gas chromatography with either a mass selective (PAHs) or an electron capture (PCBs) detector. Loss on ignition, porosity, and radionuclide analyses were carried out by standard techniques, and the association of the variables was investigated by principal component analysis. The results indicate that PAHs are associated with organic carbon, porosity and silt. Both 137Cs and PCBs are associated with clay but not with organic carbon. 210Pb is mainly associated with the organic fraction, but covaries also to some extent with clay.