Document Type
Report
Department/Program
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Publication Date
11-1982
Abstract
This study is an extension of a Chespeake Bay-wide analysis of toxic organic substances into the Elizabeth and Patapsco River subestuaries. Twenty-eight surface sediment samples from the.Elizabeth River and 40 surface sediment samples from the Patapsco, were analyzed in detail for the presence of mainly aromatic and polar organic compounds. Approximately 310 distinct compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the Elizabeth River samples, and about 480 in the Patapsco. Total aromatic concentrations ranged from 440,000 to 3,100 ppb in the Elizabeth and from 2.7 x 106 to 6100 ppb in the Patapsco. Similar to observation in the.Chesapeake Bay, unsubstituted polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons dominated, contributing about 50% to the total resolved concentration. Both subestuaries must be considered to be' severely polluted, and in both there is some evidence of pollutant transport into the Bay.
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.25773/v5-94fj-fg75
Keywords
Water -- Pollution -- Virginia -- Elizabeth River; Water -- Pollution -- Maryland -- Patapsco River; Estuarine sediments -- Virginia -- Elizabeth River; Estuarine sediments -- Maryland -- Patapsco River
Recommended Citation
Bieri, R. H., Hein, C., Huggett, R. J., Shou, P., Slone, H., Smith, C., & Su, C. (1982) Toxic organic compounds in surface sediments from Elizabeth and Patapsco Rivers and estuaries. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.25773/v5-94fj-fg75
Appendices I-IV
