Total organic carbon, total nitrogen, delta C-13(org), delta N-15, and aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons of fifty-five soil samples collected from the coastal wetlands of the Liaohe Delta were measured, in order to determine the sources and possible preservation of organic matter (OM). The delta(15)(N) and delta C-13(org) values in the samples ranged from 3.0 parts per thousand to 9.4 parts per thousand and from -30.4 parts per thousand to -20.3 parts per thousand, respectively, implying that the OM in the soils is predominantly derived from C-3 plant. The long-chain n-alkanes had a strong odd-over-even carbon number predominance, suggesting a significant contribution from waxes of higher plants. The ubiquitous presence of unresolved complex mixture, alkylated polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons and typical biomarkers of petroleum hydrocarbons (pristane, phytane, hopanes and steranes) indicates that there is a contribution of petroleum hydrocarbons to the organic carbon pool in the wetland soils. P. australis-vegetated wetlands have strong potentials for the preservation of organic carbon in the wetlands. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication name	MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN Volume: 71 Issue: 1-2 Pages: 276-285 Published: JUN 15 2013
Author(s)	Lin, Tian; Ye, Siyuan; Ma, Chuanliang; Ding, Xigui; Brix, Hans; Yuan,Hongming; Chen, Yingjun; Guo, Zhigang
Corresponding author	LIN Tian  1. Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geochem, State Key Lab Environm Geochem, Guiyang 550002, Peoples R China  2. Fudan Univ, Dept Environm Sci & Engn, Shanghai 200433, Peoples R China

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