Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment: homologous series in soils and recent marine sediments

Abstract Soils and recent marine sediments contain a complex polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon assemblage. The many series of alkylhomologs have a similar molecular weight distribution, and it varies little over a wide range of depositional environments. It is suggested that these hydrocarbons are formed in natural fires, are dispersed and mixed by air transport and eventually deposited into surface sediments. The analytical, geochemical and environmental implications of these findings are discussed.