Affiliations: Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang
University, Hangzhou 310028, China | Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang
University, Hangzhou 310006, China | Zhejiang Provincial Environmental Monitoring Centre,
Hangzhou 310012, China
Abstract: Eleven surface sediment samples, from Hangzhou section of Qiantang
River and Jinghang Canal, west Lake the inland river were collected to
investigate 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollution in aquatic
sediments of Hangzhou. Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) was used to extract
PAHs from sediments with satisfactory recoveries. It was found that the total
PAHs in the sediments ranged from 308.4 to 3037 ng/g dw, and PAHs pollution in
sediments from Jinghang Canal were the heaviest. Lowest effect level (LEL) and
severe effect level (SEL) sediment quality guidelines were introduced to
perform risk assessment for PAHs pollution in aquatic sediments. Only one
sample in Jinghang Canal had adverse impact on benthic organism. 2–3 ring
PAHs had a noticeable contribution to total PAHs, especially NA, PHEN. A
quantity method was used to determine the major source, the results showed
petroleum origin was the chief source to PAHs pollution in all sediments with
the exception of sediments from Jinghang Canal where combustion sources had a
larger contribution.
