Distribution of PAHs in tissues of wetland plants and the surrounding sediments in the Chongming wetland, Shanghai, China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations were determined in sediments and three types of wetland plants collected from the intertidal flats in the Chongming wetland. The concentration of total PAHs in sediments ranged from 38.7 to 136.2 ng g−1. Surface sediment concentrations were higher in regions with plant cover than in bare regions. Rhizome-layer sediments (56.8–102.4 ng g−1) contained less PAHs than surface sediments (0–5 cm). Concentrations of PAHs in plant tissues ranged from 51.9 to 181.2 ng g−1, with highest concentrations in the leaves of Scirpus. Most of the PAHs in the leaves and other plant tissues were low molecular weight compounds (LMW, 2–4 rings), and a similar distribution pattern of PAHs in different types of plants was also observed. Source analysis indicated that plants and sediments both came from pyrogenic sources, but plants had additional petroleum contamination. The low ratio of benzo[a]anthracene over chrysene suggests that the wetland PAHs came mainly from long-distance atmospheric transportation. Significant bioaccumulation of PAHs from the sediments into plants was not observed for high molecular weight PAHs (HMW, 5–6 rings) in Chongming wetland. The small RCFs (root concentration factor from sediments) for HMW PAHs and large RCFs for LMW PAHs suggested that roots accumulated LMW PAHs selectively from sediments in Chongming wetland.

► We measured 16 PAHs in plants tissues and sediments from Chongming wetland.
► The tissues of three types of wetland plants have similar PAH composition.
► Wetland plants may take up PAHs from both atmosphere and sediments.
► The uptake of PAHs by roots was negatively correlated with KOW of PAHs.