49 



Low molecular weight PAHs (including naphthalenes, anthracenes, fluorenes, and 

 phenanthrenes) tend to be more soluble, more volatile, and acutely toxic to some organisms, 

 but are noncarcinogenic. LMW PAH compounds originate principally from relatively fresh, 

 unburned petroleum. HMW PAH compounds are generally derived from fossil fuel 

 combustion (Kennish 1992). 



Table 4-2 



Metal Concentrations (ppm Dry Weight) in Sediments 

 Collected at the NOAA NS&T Program Stations ELI and LICR, 1984-1987 



Metals 



(ppm dry weight) 



Cd 



Pb 



Zn 



Non-normalized 

 Sand Component 





Station ELI 



0.1 



19 



59 



Station LICR 



0.29 



26 



78 





Normalized 



Fine-grained 



Component 





Station LICR 



0.94 



62 



200 



Of the NLON reference areas, concentrations of PAH compounds were greatest at the 

 NE-REF area followed by WREF and NLON-REF. Comparisons can be made with detailed 

 PAH data collected from sediments in the New England area and the New York Mud Dump 

 Site in New York (Table 4-3). New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, is an estuarine area 

 noted for having high levels of contaminants. Fall River, Massachusetts is a moderately 

 industrialized, estuarine area located in northeastern reaches of Narragansett Bay. Fox Point 

 is located at the head of Narragansett Bay in Providence, Rhode Island, and receives both 

 sewer and industrial output from the Providence metropolitan area. North Jamestown, Rhode 

 Island is located in a nonindustrial region of central Narragansett Bay. The two locations at 

 the New York Mud Dump, stations DM11 and DM28, are located along the southern 

 boundary of the Mud Dump site and consist of at least 50% (by weight) silt/clay. 



Monitoring Cruise at the New London Disposal Site, June 1991 



