Transport, deposition and biodegradation of particle bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a tidal basin of an industrial watershed.

Polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common contaminants in industrial watersheds. Their origin, transport and fate are important to scientists, environmental managers and citizens. The Philadelphia Naval Reserve Basin (RB) is a small semi-enclosed embayment near the confluence of the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers in Pennsylvania (USA). We conducted a study at this site to determine the tidal flux of particles and particle-bound contaminants associated with the RB. Particle traps were placed at the mouth and inside the RB and in the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers. There was net particle deposition into the RB, which was determined for three seasons. Spring and fall depositions were highest (1740 and 1230 kg of particles, respectively) while winter deposition was insignificant. PAH concentrations on settling particles indicated a net deposition of 12.7 g PAH in fall and 2.1 g PAH in spring over one tidal cycle. There was no significant PAH deposition in the winter. Biodegradation rates, calculated from 14C-labeled PAH substrate mineralization, could attenuate only about 0.25% of the PAH deposited during a tidal cycle in fall. However, in the spring, biodegradation could be responsible for degrading 50% of the settling PAHs. The RB appears to be a sink for PAHs in this watershed.