Page 69 - 《渔业研究》2025年第3期

326 渔 业 研 究 第 47 卷

Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in
sediments adjacent to sewage outlets to the sea of Fujian Province

1
1,2
YUAN Liangying ，ZHANG Lemeng ，CHEN Kai 1
(1. Fujian Institute of Oceanography, Xiamen 361013, China;
2. Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Coast and Island Management Technology Study, Xiamen 361013, China)

Abstract: [Objective] Sea sediment is one of the major environment fates of poly aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs). The research of PAHs in sea area adjacent to land-based discharge outlets is rare. This study aims to in-
vestigate the PAHs pollution level and major resource in sediments adjacent to land-based sewage outlets to the
sea of Fujian Province. [Methods] Content of PAHs were determined for 27 sediment samples collected from
sea area adjacent to 6 land-based sewage outlets of Fujian Province from 2018 to 2020 by gas chromatography-
mass spectrometry (GC−MS) method. [Results] The spatial distribution and sources of PAHs were studied and
the ecological risk of PAHs was assessed. The results revealed that the concentration of PAHs were in the range
of 70.5~508.9 ng/g with mean of 195.9 ng/g, which was low compared to the concentration of other coastal sed-
iments. The PAHs concentrations were determined by the location of the sewage outlets instead of the type of
the outlets. PAHs from sewage outlet discharge may be the important input resource of Fujian coastal sediments.
The proportions of different rings of PAHs were comparable in the sewage outlet, thermal power station efflu-
ent, and oil refinery discharge; however, these proportions differed significantly in the textile printing and dye-
ing effluent, electroplating outlet, and bleaching and dyeing discharge. By analysis of the relative abundance of
rings and isomer ratio of PAHs, it was found that the sources of PAHs in sediments adjacent to land-based
sewage outlets were different, mainly related to the discharged sewage; and the major source was combustion
source. The ecological risk assessment revealed that PAHs in the coastal sediment environment posed minimal
ecological risk, exerting few adverse effects on living organisms. [Conclusion] In summary, concentrations of
PAHs in sediments of adjacent to land-based sewage outlets to the sea of Fujian Province were low and varied
among different sea areas. The major source of PAHs was combustion source. PAHs in coastal sediment envir-
onment had few negative ecological effects to the living organisms with minimum ecological risk.
Key words: land-based sewage outlets; sediments; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); distribution; sour-
ces; ecological risk