Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the representative eutrophic lake “Lake Suwa”, which has drastically eutrophicated since 1960s by inflow of domestic and industrial effluents. We also investigated PAHs in river sediments, road dusts, suspended solids and air particles of the catchment area of Lake Suwa.
We showed that the concentrations of Σ17PAHs in the lake sediments and river sediments were 364±129 ng/g-dry and 157±194 ng/g-dry, respectively. On the other hand, the concentrations of Σ17PAHs in sediments were relatively high in the northeast part of Lake Suwa.
One of the major PAHs in the sediment of Lake Suwa was perylene. It would be mainly produced from precursor substances (such as perylenequinone) in anoxic lake sediment. On the other hand, the major sources of other PAHs (except perylene) were considered to be both petrogenic and pyrogenic source as diesel exhaust matter and asphalt. They entered the Lake Suwa through rivers and finally precipitated to lake sediment.
