Distribution and Source of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments of Salt River Mouth

Surface samples were collected from the Salt River mouth, Taiwan and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Total PAHs concentrations varied from 6, 157 to 28, 575 ng/g dry wt. The spatial distribution of PAHs reveals that the PAHs concentration is relatively high in the river mouth region, and gradually diminishes toward the harbor region. Diagnostic ratios showed that the possible source of PAHs in the Salt River mouth could be coal combustion. The toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQ^carc) of PAHs varied from 728 to 3, 005 ng TEQ/g dry wt. Higher total TEQ^carc values were found in the river mouth region.