Predicting the Total PAHs Concentrations in Sediments from Selected Congeners Using a Multiple Linear Relationship

Abstract

In this study, four congeners, i.e., naphthalene (Nap), acenaphthylene (Acy), phenanthrene (Phe) and benz(a)anthracene (BaA), screened out by hierarchical clustering analysis from 16 PAHs, are the characteristic PAHs congeners in emission sources and in sediments. Novel multiple linear relationships, i.e., the total PAHs emission factors and the total PAHs concentration with the emission factors of Nap, Acy, Phe and BaA and their sediment concentrations data reported in the past 30 years were established, respectively. The same characteristic congeners observed for PAHs in sediments and in emission sources indicates that the concentration of PAHs in sediments are largely dependant on the PAHs emission. Moreover, the ratio of multicomponents coefficient from the multiple linear relationship in sediments to that in emission sources correlated positively with the logKow values and biodegradation half-lifes of four characteristic congeners, indicating PAHs concentrations in sediments are also alternated by their environmental behaviors including sorption and biodegradation. However, the established relationship gives a useful way to predicted C∑PAHs in sediments without the PAHs emissions data and can eliminate the effects of environmental behaviors and the difference of emissions in various regions.