Sediment Contamination of Residential Streams in the Metropolitan Kansas City Area, USA: Part I. Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon and Pesticide-Related Compounds J. Tao • D. Huggins • G. Welker • J. R. Dias • C. G. Ingersoll • J. B. Murowchick Received: 30 April 2009 / Accepted: 3 March 2010 / Published online: 14 April 2010 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010 Abstract This is the first part of a study that evaluates the influence of nonpoint-source contaminants on the sediment quality of five streams within the metropolitan Kansas City area, central United States. Surficial sediment was collected in 2003 from 29 sites along five streams with watersheds that extend from the core of the metropolitan area to its development fringe. Sediment was analyzed for 16 poly- cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 3 common poly- chlorinated biphenyl mixtures (Aroclors), and 25 pesticide- related compounds of eight chemical classes. Multiple PAHs were detected at more than 50% of the sites, and concentrations of total PAHs ranged from 290 to 82,150 lg/ kg (dry weight). The concentration and frequency of detection of PAHs increased with increasing urbanization of the residential watersheds. Four- and five-ring PAH com- pounds predominated the PAH composition (73–100%), especially fluoranthene and pyrene. The PAH composition profiles along with the diagnostic isomer ratios [e.g., anthracene/(anthracene ? phenanthrene), 0.16 ± 0.03; fluoranthene/(fluoranthene ? pyrene), 0.55 ± 0.01)] indi- cate that pyrogenic sources (i.e., coal-tar-related operations or materials and traffic-related particles) may be common PAH contributors to these residential streams. Historical- use organochlorine insecticides and their degradates dom- inated the occurrences of pesticide-related compounds, with chlordane and dieldrin detected in over or nearly 50% of the samples. The occurrence of these historical organic com- pounds was associated with past urban applications, which may continue to be nonpoint sources replenishing local streams. Concentrations of low molecular weight (LMW; two or three rings) and high molecular weight (HMW; four to six rings) PAHs covaried along individual streams but showed dissimilar distribution patterns between the streams, while the historical pesticide-related compounds generally increased in concentration downstream. Correla- tions were noted between LMW and HMW PAHs for most of the streams and between historical-use organochlorine compounds and total organic carbon and clay content of sediments for one of the streams (Brush Creek). Stormwater runoff transport modes are proposed to describe how the two groups of contaminants migrated and distributed in the streambed. Sediment contamination from anthropogenic organic compounds has been widely reported for urban water J. Tao  J. B. Murowchick Department of Geosciences, University of Missouri—Kansas City, 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA J. Tao  J. R. Dias Department of Chemistry, University of Missouri—Kansas City, 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA D. Huggins Central Plains Center for BioAssessment, University of Kansas, 2101 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA G. Welker Environmental Services Section, United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 7, 901 North 5th Street, Kansas City, KS 66101, USA C. G. Ingersoll Columbia Environmental Research Center, United States Geological Survey, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65201, USA J. Tao (&) Water Services Department, 4800 East 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64130, USA e-mail: jing_tao@kcmo.org 123 Arch Environ Contam Toxicol (2010) 59:352–369 DOI 10.1007/s00244-010-9497-2