PAH CONTAMINATION IN TOWN CREEK, NC FROM A HISTORICAL SEEP

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are trace organic contaminants that can enter the environment through both natural and anthropogenic means. Of these compounds 16 are currently listed as high priority contaminants by the EPA. One potential anthropogenic source of PAHs is via fuel seeps. Town Creek, a tributary of the Tar River in eastern North Carolina (NC) is currently being affected by a legacy fuel seep in the Greenville, NC area. The seep was originally caused by leaking underground oil storage tanks. Surface water quality in Town Creek was adversely affected by the fuel seep in the 1980s, to the extent that the creek was designated as a state hazardous waste site. Although the tanks have been removed and the seep remediated, residual petroleum contamination continues to be discharged into the creek. This research aims to determine how the seep, despite remediation, affects PAH contamination and water quality in the Tar River as a function of discharge.

Biweekly trends in dissolved and particulate phase PAHs and other ancillary environmental variables will be discussed in relation to Tar River gauge height in Greenville, NC. Thus far, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), has varied from 2.1 - 37 mg/L across all the sites sampled both upstream and downstream of the legacy seep. Interestingly, DOC at the legacy seep site is typically lower than at the other sites. Collectively, this research can shed light on post-remediation hydrocarbon seep contamination in fluvial systems.