1 research outputs found
Increased Concentrations of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Alpine Streams during Annual Snowmelt: Investigating Effects of Sampling Method, Site Characteristics, and Meteorology
Silicone
passive samplers and macroinvertebrates were used to measure
time-integrated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) in alpine streams during annual snowmelt. The three sampling
sites were located near a main highway in Arthur’s Pass National
Park in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. A similar set of PAH congeners,
composed of 2–4 rings, were found in silicone passive samplers
and macroinvertebrates. The background PAH concentrations were similar
at all sites, implying that proximity to the highway did not affect
concentrations. In passive samplers, an increase of PAH concentrations
by up to seven times was observed during snowmelt. In macroinvertebrates,
the concentration changes were moderate; however, macroinvertebrate
sampling did not occur during the main pulse observed in the passive
samplers. The extent of vegetation in the catchment appeared to affect
the concentration patterns seen at the different stream sites. A strong
correlation was found between PAH concentrations in passive samplers
and the amount of rainfall in the study area, indicating that the
washout of contaminants from snowpack by rainfall was an important
process