Abstract: A large portion of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from e-waste released into the coastal areas may be the potential source of PCBs to the global oceans. The paper presents data of PCBs concentrations in fifty surface sediment samples and a dated sediment core in Yangtze River Delta (YRE) and adjacent East China Sea (ECS). The total PCBs levels varied from 5.08 to 19.64 ng/g dry weight, with the highest concentrations situate within the river-sea boundary zone which is so-called “marginal filter”. Concurrent with the operation of e-waste recycling over the last two decades, PCB fluxes started to rise again after 1980s and reached a maximum in this century. The full data set was used to estimate the burden of PCBs in YRE and adjacent ECS. A total sediment burdens were 192.8 tons, with the spatial density of 364 ng/cm² which accounts for 1.9% of all the PCBs in China.

Highlights: ? PCBs residues remained widespread in Yangtze River Delta and adjacent East China Sea. ? Highest PCBs concentrations situate within the river-sea boundary zone. ? Congener profiles and PCA highlight the influence of e-waste recycling. ? Temporal distributions indicated PCB fluxes reached a maximum in this century. ? Total sediment burdens accounts for 1.9 % of all the PCBs in China.

Keywords: Polychlorinated biphenyls; Sediment PCBs; E-waste; Estuary; Spatial pattern; PCB source

Citation: Huayun Yang, Shanshan Zhuo, Bin Xue, Chunlong Zhang, Weiping Liu. Distribution, historical trends and inventories of polychlorinated biphenyls in sediments from Yangtze River Estuary and adjacent East China Sea. Environmental Pollution, Volume 169, October 2012, Pages 20–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2012.05.003.