Rj. Law et Ja. Whinnett, THE DETERMINATION OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS IN SEAWATER FROM THE FLUXMANCHE TRANSECT (DOVER STRAIT), Oceanologica acta, 16(5-6), 1993, pp. 593-597
Concentrations of a range of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) we
re determined by means of coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
(GCMS). Water samples were collected, using a contamination-free samp
ling device, at two depths (Im subsurface and 3 m above the seabed) at
each of the six stations established in the Dover Strait. The station
s were occupied during June and October 1990, and July 1991. Concentra
tions of PAH were often close to or below the limits of detection for
samples of 10.8 1 volume, although a number of samples exhibited high
concentrations (of naphthalenes in particular) which were apparently d
erived from shipping inputs in the Dover Strait. Future work will requ
ire the development of methods with lower limits of detection, and whi
ch can integrate concentrations over different timescales in order to
obtain time-averaged concentrations of PAH.