ASSOCIATION OF PAHS, PCBS, CS-137, AND PB-210 WITH CLAY, SILT, AND ORGANIC-CARBON IN SEDIMENTS

The association of PAHs, PCBs, Cs-137, and Pb-210 with various compone nts of sediments, i.e., clay, silt, and organic carbon is determined. The work is based on the data from 6 deep (2-3 m) vibra cores collecte d from a stretch of the Kinnickinnic River running through Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Priority organics were determined by extraction, clean -up, and gas chromatography with either a mass selective (PAHs) or an electron capture (PCBs) detector. Loss on ignition, porosity, and radi onuclide analyses were carried out by standard techniques, and the ass ociation of the variables was investigated by principal component anal ysis. The results indicate that PAHs are associated with organic carbo n, porosity and silt. Both Cs-137 and PCBs are associated with clay bu t not with organic carbon. Pb-210 is mainly associated with the organi c fraction, but covaries also to some extent with clay. Copyright (C) 1996 IAWQ.