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In order to understand the pollution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in west Bohai Bay, China, the sixteen PAHs listed by US EPA in surface seawater were investigated in the Qinhuangdao (QHD), Caofeidian (CFD) and Huanghuagang (HHG) areas. Distribution and composition of PAHs in the dissolved phase (DP) and the suspended particulate associated phase (SP) were detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. An ecological risk assessment was evaluated using risk quotients (RQ). The results showed that the 16 PAHs were prevalent in west Bohai Bay and the 2-3 rings PAHs were the predominant chemicals. The QHD area had the highest concentration of total PAHs (TPAHs), which ranged from 186.3 to 531.3 ng/L in DP and 222.7 to 715.7 ng/L in SPM. In all three areas, the PAHs levels in SPM were higher than those in DP. The risk assessment showed that there was a relatively low potential ecological risk of PAHs in the coastal regions of Bohai Bay.

In order to understand the risk of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) existing in sediment for years, the accumulation of PBDEs in sediment aged for 2 years to fish was investigated. Simulated aquatic system microcosms were conducted with PBDE contaminated sediment aged for 2 years and carps were cultured in the microcosms for 20 days. PBDE concentrations in carp tissues were analyzed to estimate the bioavailability of aged PBDEs in carps. The main spiked PBDE congeners were detected in sediment even though the contaminated sediment was aged for 2 years. Similarly, the five PBDE (BDE-28, 47, 100, 153 and 154) congeners which probably were bioaccumulated by carp were detected in fish tissues, indicating that PBDEs could be bioaccumulated after aging for 2 years. The PBDEs distribution revealed that the concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in tissues of Cyprinus carpio is in this order of magnitude: gut > liver > gill > fillet. The PBDEs concentrations in fillet were as high as 67.9 ng/g dry wt, in which BDE-47 contributed almost 50% in profile.