Sources and mass inventory of sedimentary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Thailand: Implications for pathways and energy structure in SE Asia

- Distribution, sources and mass inventory of sedimentary PAHs in the GOT were studied.
- Atmospheric loading could be important for the sink of PAHs in the open GOT.
- PMF model apportioned a factor with air-sea exchange for the LMW PAHs in open area.
- Comparative sediment PAH mass inventory implies Asian regional energy structures.

Surface sediments obtained from a matrix of 92 sample sites in the Gulf of Thailand (GOT) were analyzed for a comprehensive study of the distribution, sources, and mass inventory of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to assess their input pathways and impacts of the regional land-based energy structure on the deposition of PAHs on the adjacent continental margins. The concentration of 16 PAHs in the GOT ranged from 2.6 to 78.1 ng/g (dry weight), and the mean concentration was 19.4 ± 15.1 ng/g. The spatial distribution pattern of 16 PAH was generally consistent with that of sediment grain size, suggesting the influence of regional hydrodynamic conditions. Correlation and principal component analysis of the PAHs indicated that direct land-based inputs were dominantly responsible for the occurrence of PAHs in the upper GOT and the low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs in the coastal region could be from petrogenic sources. A positive matrix factorization (PMF) model apportioned five contributors: petroleum residues (~ 44%), biomass burning (~ 13%), vehicular emissions (~ 11%), coal combustion (~ 6%), and air-water exchange (~ 25%). Gas absorption may be a significant external input pathway for the volatile PAHs in the open GOT, which further implies that atmospheric loading could be important for the sink of PAHs in the open sea of the Southeast Asia (SE Asia). The different PAH source patterns obtained and a significant disparity of PAH mass inventory in the sediments along the East and Southeast Asia continental margins can be ascribed mainly to different land-based PAH emission features under the varied regional energy structure in addition to the depositional environment and climatic conditions.

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