Distribution and Sources of PAHS and Sediment Properties in Southern Taiwan

Abstract. The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and surface sediment properties were analyzed from 31 locations in Dapeng Bay and neighboring rivers (Kaoping River, Tungkang River and Lingbeng River), southern Taiwan. Principal component factor analysis (PCFA) was performed to explain the latent factors and spatial variations of sediment quality. And canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) was applied to identify the source of pollution of Dapeng Bay from neighboring rivers. The results show that the most important latent factors in Dapeng Bay and neighboring rivers on wet seasons are the soil texture caused factor, the PAHs caused factor, and the nutrient caused factor. Contour maps incorporating the factor scores showed phenanthrene (Phn) and pyrene (Pyr) of PAHs had the highest content at the entrance of the northern side of the lagoon. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) had the highest content located in mid-section of the Kaoping River and in Dapeng Bay. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphate (TP) had the highest content located in the last-section of Tungkang River. And CDA shows that sediment quality in Dapeng Bay was not similar to the other three rivers.