Chinese Arctic Yellow River Station Research Monitoring Program. 1. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediment from Svalbard

Abstract

Surface sediments of the west coast of Svalbard near Ny-Ålesund Spitsbergen were collected. PAHs of lake sediments (mean: 260, range: 11 - 1100 ng/g dry wt) were higher than previously report of surface lake sediment in Svalbard 1995, suggesting significant PAH contamination is occurring due to long-term atmospheric transport and local coal mining and fossil fuel sources, pointing to the role of Arctic lakes as potential reservoirs of semi-volatile organic compounds, including PAHs. Compound-specific analysis revealed different PAH patterns between Svalbard lakes and European high mountain lakes, showing higher proportions of low molecular weight compounds and lower levels of high molecular weight PAHs in Svalbard lakes. PAH indicator ratios suggest that the majority of PAHs in lake sediments have pyrogenic origins (coal mining, fossil fuel and biomass combustion), while coastal marine sediments were mainly contaminated by petroleum-derived PAHs (shipping activities in coastal areas, and perhaps as a result of an oil spill in 1986). Sediment fluxes of PAHs were estimated to be 0.2 - 22 ng cm-2yr-1. The current PAH levels exceeded Canadian sediment quality guidelines, suggesting the presence of possible risks for aquatic organisms and the need for further studies.