Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs in the coastal seawater, surface sediment and oyster from Dalian, Northeast China

• Parent and alkylated PAHs were determined in marine matrixes from Northeast China.
• Contaminations of PAHs were spread in marine matrixes.
• Compositions of PAHs were different among marine matrixes.
• Ecotoxicological risk of PAHs was evaluated.
• The seawater-sediment partition status was investigated.

A total of 46 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, 21 parent and 25 alkylated) were determined in seawater, surface sediment and oyster from coastal area of Dalian, North China. The concentration of Σ46PAHs in seawater, sediment, and oyster were 136–621 ng/L, 172–4700 ng/g dry weight (dw) and 60.0–129 ng/g wet weight (ww) in winter, and 65.0–1130 ng/L, 71.1–1090 ng/g dw and 72.8–216 ng/g ww in summer, respectively. High PAH levels were found in industrial area both in winter and summer. Selected PAH levels in sediments were compared with Sediments Quality Guidelines (ERM–ERL, TEL–PEL indexes) for evaluation probable toxic effects on marine organism and the results indicate that surface sediment from all sampling sites have a low to medium ecotoxicological risk. Daily intake of PAHs via oyster as seafood by humans were estimated and the results indicated that oyster intake would not pose a health risk to humans even 30 days after a oil spill accident near by. Water-sediment exchange analysis showed that, both in winter and summer, the fluxes for most high molecular weight PAHs were from seawater to sediment, while for low molecular weight PAHs, an equilibrium was reached between seawater and sediment.

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