Chemometric Analysis for Pollution Source Assessment of Harbour Sediments in Arctic Locations

Abstract

Pollution levels, pollutant distribution and potential source assessments based on multivariate analysis (chemometrics) were made for harbour sediments from two Arctic locations; Hammerfest in Norway and Sisimiut in Greenland. High levels of heavy metals were detected in addition to organic pollutants. Preliminary assessments based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed different sources and pollutant distribution in the sediments of the two harbours. Tributyltin (TBT) was, however, found to originate from point source(s) and the highest concentrations of TBT in both harbours were found adjacent to the former shipyards. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) ratios and PCA plots revealed that the predominant source in both harbours was pyrogenic related to coal/biomass combustion. Comparison of commercial polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) mixtures with PCB compositions in the sediments indicated relation primarily to German, Russian and American mixtures in Hammerfest; and American, Russian and Japanese mixtures in Sisimiut. PCA was shown to be an important tool for identifying pollutant sources and differences in pollutant composition in relation to sediment characteristics.

Benthic foraminifera as bio-indicators of chemical and physical stressors in Hammerfest harbor (Northern Norway)

“…The harbor of the town of Hammerfest, Northern Norway (Fig. 1a)is an example of a harbor were various local pollution sources have resulted in pollution levels requiring immediate action (Pedersen et al, 2015). By studying living and fossilized foraminiferal assemblages from this harbor, the foraminiferal method enables both quantification of present and past impact of environmental stressors active in the harbor.…”

The influence of sediment properties and experimental variables on the efficiency of electrodialytic removal of metals from sediment

“…It was previously found that of the seven analysed environmental priority metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn), it was only Cu, Pb and Zn that exceeded the environmental quality criteria from Arctic countries to an extent at which potential effects on the marine environment could occur [33]. For this reason, they remain the focus for the remediation in this study.…”

“…The six sediments were analysed for pH, electric conductivity, cation exchange capacity (CEC), grain size analysis and content of elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn), chloride, total carbon, sulphur, nitrogen, phosphorous, carbonate and organic matter. The results of these are summarised in table 1 and the description of methods and materials for these analysis are described in detail in [33]. In this study, the sediment characteristics were supplemented with metal desorption experiments to evaluate the availability of metals in the sediment.…”

Surface sediment quality relative to port activities: A contaminant-spectrum assessment

“…Sprovieri et al (2007) found that surface sediments in Naples Harbor (Italy) were contaminated with metals (N3-time enrichment), PAHs (dominated by 3-5 rings and NNOAA ERM), and PCBs (dominated by tetra-and penta-chlorobiphenyls and high toxic level). Besides metals, PAHs, and PCBs were contaminated in two Arctic ports, Hammerfest in Norway and Sisimiut in Greenland, Pedersen et al (2015) further identified that tributyltin (an antifouling biocide) was contaminated in sediments of the two ports by point sources, the former shipyards, up to 1800 times greater than the non-polluted sites. Furthermore, they apportioned sedimentary PAHs deriving from pyrogenic coal/biomass combustion, and sedimentary PCBs from European, Russian, and American manufacturers in the Hammerfest port and from US, Russia, and Japan in the Sisimiut port.…”