Abstract
Tokyo metropolitan area adjoing Tokyo Bay is one of the most urbanized sites in the world. The purpose of this study is analyses of relationship between changes of biogenic organic compounds in sediments and human activities in Tokyo Bay during 20th century.
Changes of biogenic organic compounds in the sediments revealed three different patterns. (1) Lignin phenols and n-C20-C32 fatty acids derived from land higher plants have increased from a half of 1950's, and have decreased from a boundary of about 1970. (2) n-C10-C18 fatty acids and n-C16:1, C18:1 unsaturated fatty acids mainly derived from phytoplanton, and br-C15, C17 fatty acids derived from bacteria have increased from a half of 1960's, and have increased from about 1980 with a small peek of about 1970. (3) Coprostanol and epicoprostanol mainly derived from human fecal pollution have not detected at all before 1920, and have gone on increasing from a half of 1950's.
The histrical records of these biogenic organic compounds in the sediments during this century clearly indicate an advanced eutrophication of Tokyo bay.
