1. Sources and Fates of Sedimentary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the East Siberian Arctic Shelf: Implications for Input Pathways and Black Carbon Constraint.
- Author
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Yu, Wenxiu, Hu, Limin, Zhang, Yuying, Du, Jiazong, Bai, Yazhi, Lin, Tian, Yu, Huimin, Guo, Zhigang, Bosin, Alexander, Astakhov, Anatolii, and Shi, Xuefa
- Subjects
BEACH erosion ,POLYCYCLIC aromatic hydrocarbons ,PERSISTENT pollutants ,CARBON-based materials ,ATMOSPHERIC deposition ,CARBONACEOUS aerosols - Abstract
The Arctic region is experiencing more rapid climate changes than the other parts of the world and serves as a sink for semi‐volatile persistent organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which can be utilized as molecular markers for pyrogenic carbon, such as black carbon (BC). As the sea ice retreats and increased terrestrial inputs with widespread wildfires, the PAH concentrations in the Arctic Ocean are rising. In this study, the sources and fates of PAHs together with BC in surface sediments from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS) were analyzed. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) elucidated a mixed petrogenic and pyrogenic sources and distinct PAH fates associated with diverse input pathways including coastal permafrost erosion contribution (∼30%), petrogenic‐related emission (∼34%), fossil fuel combustion (∼26%), and biomass burning (∼10%). Correlation analysis indicated that BC plays a key role in affecting the behavior and fates of PAHs. In the Chukchi Sea, PAHs are closely associated with soot‐BC, whereas in the Laptev Sea (LS) and west East Siberian Sea (W‐ESS), they exhibit a coupling process with char‐BC. The presence of these carbonaceous materials in the sediments of CS is likely influenced by atmospheric deposition and biological activity, whereas the LS and W‐ESS regions are mainly affected by long‐distance river transport and direct deposition from coastal permafrost. As global warming continues, permafrost thawing induces the remobilization and retranslocation of PAHs, thereby becoming a significant PAH contributor and input pathway in the rapidly changing Arctic coastal margin. Plain Language Summary: The Arctic region is experiencing rapid climate changes, such as reducing sea ice, thawing permafrost, and increasing wildfires. These changes are raising the levels of semi‐volatile pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Arctic coastal margins, with the potential for the region to become a significant reservoir of sedimentary PAHs. In our study, we examined the large‐scale distribution and fates of PAHs and black carbon (BC) across the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS), the world's largest shelf system. We discovered that PAHs have mixed sources, including both petrogenic and pyrogenic origins. We also observed differences in how PAHs were transported and sequestrated in coastal versus open sea areas. In the western ESAS, PAHs and BC are mainly influenced by terrestrial inputs such as river discharge and coastal permafrost erosion. In contrast, in the eastern open‐sea regions, they are primarily constrained by atmospheric transport and biological activity are the primary influencing factors. The significant emissions from thawing permafrost along the coasts highlight the growing importance of permafrost‐related erosion as a significant contributor of PAHs in the Arctic Ocean, particularly in the context of future warming. Key Points: Sedimentary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS) have a mixture of petrogenic and pyrogenic sources with distinct input pathwaysPermafrost erosion serves as a significant input pathway and PAHs contributor in the rapidly changing Arctic coastsBlack carbon plays a key role in the behavior and sequestration of pyrogenic PAHs in the Arctic coastal margins [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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