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- Info
Environmental modeling and exposure assessment of sediment-associated fluoranthene in a small, urbanized, nonriverine estuary
| Author: |
Siewicki, T.C. |
| Date: |
1997 |
| Periodical: |
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology |
| Abstract: |
Risks posed by fluoranthene (a four-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) in urban runoff were estimated by modeling and exposure assessment of a portion of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, United States. Kinetic rate constants for sediment-associated fluoranthene and fluoranthene runoff concentrations that were determined in earlier studies were used in these assessments. Computer modeling was used to simultaneously integrate environmental conditions and loading in the estuary with the physico-chemical characteristics of fluoranthene. The Exposure Analysis Modeling System (EXAMS-II) quantitatively characterized relationships between land uses and fluoranthene distribution and fate. Factors predicted to affect oyster exposure were: Non-point source runoff loading > base (background) loading > non-point source hydrologic flows. Simulated pulse loads were predicted to cause only nearby, short-term increases. These results suggest that bioconcentration of fluoranthene by oysters is related to adjacent land uses and can be predicted by understanding the major factors affecting its transport and fate. An approach is described that can be used to test alternate landscape modifications for minimizing impacts on both resident fauna and seafood consumers. |
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