The origin and deposition history of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the finger lakes region of New York

Studies aimed at determining the deposition history of energy related, potentially carcinogenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) deposited in the sediments of Cayuga Lake, in the Finger Lakes Region of central New York State, are described. PAH fluxes in the 1850's were at least an order of magnitude less than the maximum rates in the period of 1940 to 1955. PAH fluxes began to decline before the Milliken coal fired power plant, located on Cayuga Lake, started service in 1955. Correlation between the PAH flux into the sediments and fossil fuel usage and emissions for the states of New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania and the United States as a whole, suggests that modern, high efficiency fossil fuel fired power plants are minor sources of PAHs compared to coal related residential heating and industrial combustion. Similar comparisons with historic emissions data do not support the hypothesis that PAH flux is a useful indicator of the combustion sources which produce the `acidifying' compounds SO₂ and NO_x for the Finger Lakes region.