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PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS 



Petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) enter the Bight from a 

 variety of sources. The total input of oil and grease is 

 870 metric tons per day. Table B shows that 38% of this 

 total comes from barge dumping, 23% from urban runoff, and 

 22% comes from municipal wastewater. However, not all oil 

 and grease is classified as PHCs. For example, only 75% 

 of urban runoff is assumed to be PHCs (1) . 



An important component of PHC is the polynuclear aromatic 

 hydrocarbon (PAH) fraction. PAHs are of concern because many 

 PAH compounds or their metabolites are potent carcinogens (6) . 

 Sewage sludge contributes 4,100 kg of PAH annually to the 

 New York Bight and dredged material contributes 67,000 kg 

 annually (6) . 



PAHs are found in the sediments of the Bight and the 

 Hudson Raritan Estuary. Total PAH concentration in 

 Christiaensen Basin sediments is 27 3 times the concentration 

 in Outer Bight sediments. Total PAH concentration in sewage 

 sludge dumpsite sediments is 50 times the concentration in 

 Outer Bight sediments (see Table G) . PAHs are also found in 

 fishes throughout the Bight (see Table H) . 



OTHER INPUTS 



There are a number of other inputs to the New York Bight 

 beyond those discussed in this brief paper. Boesch, for 

 example, summarizes the organic carbon inputs of three studies 

 (14) . All three studies indicate that primary production 



