Improved identification of pollution source attribution by using PAH ratios combined with multivariate statistics

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Marine Pollution
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are significant marine contaminants.
• Accurate source identification is vital for marine ecosystem protection.
• Conventional PAH source attribution methods are time-consuming and less reliable in sediments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To improve the accuracy of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) source attribution in marine bottom sediments.
• To develop a robust model for identifying PAH transport pathways.
• To support decision-making for marine pollution monitoring and mitigation.

Main Methods:

• Collected PAH distribution data from five port areas with known activities.
• Employed supervised Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) for evaluating multiple PAH ratios.
• Coupled diagnostic molecular ratios with advanced supervised statistical techniques.

Main Results:

• Developed and validated a robust descriptive and predictive model for PAH source attribution.
• Successfully increased the accuracy of PAH source attribution in bottom sediments.
• Identified PAH transport pathways and their interactions with port activities and coastal land-use.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology offers a more accurate approach to PAH source attribution in marine sediments.
• This method aids in understanding pollution dynamics and supports effective environmental management.
• Enhanced PAH source identification facilitates targeted monitoring and mitigation efforts in coastal zones.