Molecular Tracers of Saturated and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Inputs into Central Park Lake, New York City

Abstract

Saturated hydrocarbons (SH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been quantified in a sediment core obtained from Central Park Lake, New York City. Radionuclides 210Pb and 137Cs were used to assign approximate dates to each individual section in the core. The dating profile based on 210Pb matches very well with the time constraints provided by 137Cs. Radionuclide-derived depositional dates are consistent with temporal information from the petroleum-indicator ratio U/R [the ratio of unresolved complex mixture (UCM)to saturated hydrocarbons in the aliphatic fraction] and the history of fuel use in the NYC area. Ratios of 1,7-dimethylphenanthrane (DMP) to 1,7-DMP plus 2,6-DMP [1,7/(1,7 + 2,6)-DMP], retene to retene plus chrysene [Ret/(Ret + Chy)], and fluoranthene to fluoranthene plus pyrene [FI/(FI + Py)] provide additional source discrimination throughoutthe core. Results show that the ratio U/R is sensitive to petroleum inputs and Ret/(Ret + Chy) is responsive to contributions from softwood combustion, whereas both FI/(FI + Py) and 1,7/ (1,7 + 2,6)-DMP can be used to discriminate among wood, coal, and petroleum combustion sources. Combined use of these ratios suggests that in New York City, wood combustion dominated 100 years ago, with a shift to coal combustion occurring from the 1900s to the 1950s. Petroleum use began around the 1920s and has dominated since the 1940s.

PAHs and Trace Elements in PM2.5 at the Venice Lagoon

“…49,50,51,52 Considering our samples, both of these ratios show the presence of a petroleum source; in particular An/(An + Phe) (0.08 ± 0.05) is typical of crude oil, and Fl/(Fl + Py) (0.26 ± 0.08) of crude and diesel oils. 48 The petrogenic origin of PAH may be related to the presence of refinery and petrochemical plants on the industrial area in the mainland, whose impact is more evident in summer because of the absence of the typical winter source of PAH (burning of fossil fuel for residential heating).…”

The Effects of Height on the Accumulation of n-Alkanes and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Air-Conditioning Filter Dust from High-Rise Apartments

“…High ratio values for Flu/(Flu + Pyr) and IcdP/(IcdP + BghiP) indicate incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomasses (Yan et al, 2005). Cooking would also be expected as an important source of residual PAHs in ACFD because of the high value of BaP/BighP (2.26 ± 3.37) (Zhang et al, 2009).…”

Distribution, sources, and ecological risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the water and suspended sediments from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China

“…The MDR method has been extensively used as a qualitative source apportionment method to identify possible PAHs sources (Yunker et al 2002;Yan et al 2005). Several molecular ratios, such as Flo/(Flo+Pyr), Ant/(Ant+Phe), IcdP/(IcdP+BghiP), and BaA/(BaA+Chr) have been developed for interpreting possible sources of PAHs (Yunker et al 2002;Yan et al 2006;Zhang et al 2005;Wang et al 2009).…”