Affiliations: College of Marine Science and Technology, Shanghai
Fisheries University, Shanghai 200090, China | School of Environmental Science and Technology, Tongji
University, Shanghai 200092, China | College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing
University, Nanjing 210093, China | State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and
Resources Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093,
China
Abstract: The concentrations of semivolatile organic compounds, organochlorine
pesticides and heavy metals in sediments from Jiangsu reach of Huaihe River,
China, were presented. The organic compounds were extracted by acetone:
n-hexane using a Soxhlet apparatus and concentrations were performed using
HP6890 gas chromatography coupled by FID and ECD detector. The total contents
of 8 heavy metals by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry or
cold-vapor/atomic absorption spectrometry were developed. 30 semivolatile
organic compounds were detected, including substituted benzenes, phenols,
phthalates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, from 0.01 to 3.01 mg/kg. 16
organochlorine pesticides were almost detected and from 0.010 to 2.339
μg/kg. Concentrations of major metals were 50 mg/kg or less, mean level of
mercury was only 0.055 mg/kg. Compared to sediment quality guidelines (SQGs),
concentrations of some semivolatile organic compounds were high enough to cause
possible toxic effects to living resources. The organochlorine pesticides
presented relatively low, lower than threshold effect concentrations (TECs),
harmful effects on sediment-dwelling organisms were not expected. Chromium
posed probable toxic effects to the living resources, other heavy metals had no
threat temporarily according to SQGs.
Keywords: sediment, semivolatile organic compounds, organochlorine pesticides, heavy metals, sediment quality guiedlines, Huaihe River
