The impact of national energy structure on the concentrations, environmental behavior, and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in riverine and coastal sediments of the Beibu Gulf, China

In this study, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in sediments of the Beibu Gulf in 2017 to investigate sources and a risk assessment. The results showed the total PAH concentration ( n-ary sumation 16PAHs) in sediments of the Beibu Gulf in 2017 (17.6 +/- 16.7 ng g-1) was significantly lower than that in 2010 (47.8 +/- 27.4 ng g-1). The n-ary sumation 16PAHs concentrations varied spatially within the Beibu Gulf, impacted by point source pollution. The results of adsorption/desorption and water-air partitioning suggest that the environmental behavior of PAHs in the Beibu Gulf is affected by atmospheric deposition and sediment-water partitioning. A risk assessment showed that the PAHs in sediments were within a safety threshold. Three source apportionment methods show that oil spills and oil and biomass burning were the most important (>83.8%) sources of PAHs in sediments of the Beibu Gulf.

Automated summary

The concentration of PAHs in sediments of the Beibu Gulf varies spatially and is impacted by point source pollution, with their environmental behavior influenced by atmospheric deposition and sediment-water partitioning. Risk assessment shows that PAHs are within safety thresholds. Source apportionment methods identify oil spills and oil and biomass burning as the major sources of PAHs in the sediments.