Retene and resin acid concentrations in sediment profiles of a lake recovering from exposure to pulp mill effluents

The stratigraphy of resin acids (pimaric, isopimaric, sandaracopimaric, dehydroabietic and abietic acids) and base neutral compounds (retene, tetrahydroretene, dehydroabietin and fichtelite) in sediments of a lake recovering after the mill closure from exposure to effluents from sulphite pulp mill was studied. The highest concentrations of these compounds were detected 1.5 km downstream from the effluent pipe in sediment depth of 7–11 cm. This sediment layer is approximately 30 yrs old. The highest concentration of resin acids was 1100 and of retene 3300 μg/g d.w. The retene concentration observed is the highest reported in the literature so far. The results imply that high concentrations of retene may be common in sediments of Finnish lakes polluted by pulp mill effluents.