Temporal trends of aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the Bohai Sea, China: Evidence from the sedimentary record

► First study of temporal variation of biogenic and anthropogenic hydrocarbons in Bohai for the past decades. ► Hydrocarbons in sediment cores presented mixed sources of combustion, petroleum and biogenic contributions. ► Temporal profiles of PAHs could be a surrogate for socio-economic development in China. ► The synthesis of temporal evolution of PAHs and chemical fingerprinting can provide more information on human activities.