Contamination characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in river and coastal sediments collected from the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, South Korea

Abstract

River and coastal sediments were collected at 17 stations in Ulsan, the largest industrial city in South Korea, to evaluate the levels, profiles, emission sources, and spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The mean concentration of Sigma(16) PAHs was 722 ng/g, and fluoranthene was a predominant compound. PAHs with 4-6 rings showed higher proportions than PAHs with 2-3 rings. The stations located near industrial complexes showed elevated levels of indicator compounds for petroleum, coal, coke, and fuel combustion. Therefore, petrochemical industries, coal pier, non-ferrous industries, and vehicles were identified as the emission sources. As industrialization and urbanization progressed, an increase in PAH levels and profile changes were observed as a result of the increasing industrial fuel consumption and the increasing number of vehicles. This is the first study that confirmed the change of PAHs in sediment caused by the change of emission sources over time in Ulsan.