TEMPORAL TRENDS OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PAHs) IN A DATED SEDIMENT CORE OF A HIGH ATITUDE MOUNTAIN LAKE: CHUNGARA LAKE- NORTHERN CHILE (18° S)

Abstract

In this study levels, fluxes and temporal trend of PAHs are reported in a sediment core from Chungará Lake (18° S) in Northern Chile. The sediments were obtained by Kayac corer and freeze dried. PAHs were extracted in SOXHLET system and measured by HPLC with diode array detector and fluorescence detection. Sedimentary record chronology was determined using 210 Pb isotopes and organic carbon (%) was also measured in sediments. Concentrations (ng g -1 d.w.) of PAHs were low ranging from ~1 to 50. PAHs fingerprint was dominated by 3-ring (21%) and 4-ring. Organic carbon (%) ranged from ~17 to 24 (21±3) and no statistical significant correlation (p<0.05) was detected between OC (%) and PAHs along the sediment core. PAHs fluxes (µg m