HYDROCARBONS, ALCOHOLS AND STEROLS IN THE DISSOLVED PLUS COLLOIDAL AND PARTICULATE PHASES OF THE WATERS FROM A DYSTROPHIC LAKE, SKJERVATJERN LAKE (NORWAY)

The composition of solvent extractable aliphatic, olephinic and aromat ic hydrocarbons, alcohols and sterols, in the dissolved f colloidal an d particulate water phases of a dystrophic lake are described. Contrib utions from terrestrial vegetation, particularly Sphagnum moss, appear to dominate the distribution of n-alkanes, n-alkan-1-ols and sterols in the two water fractions. Pyrolytic contributions representing long- range transported polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) over the Scan dinavian Peninsula are also observed. All biogenic compounds exhibit, in general, similar distribution coefficients between the two water ph ases (lg K-D: 4.9-5.7) which is in agreement with their common combina tion with organic materials of analogous hydrophobic/hydrophilic prope rties. PAH constitute the only group of compounds with phase distribut ion coefficients (lg K-D: 4.4-5.2) lower than the general interval. Fi nally, both in the case of the biogenic and the pyrolytic compounds, i ncorporation into the water column seems to be preferentially mediated by transport through the particulate phase.