Sources of n-alkanes in an urbanized estuary: Insights from molecular distributions and compound-specific stable and radiocarbon isotopes

Diagnostic molecular ratios and compound-specific 13C and 14C analyses were used to identify n-alkane sources in surface sediments collected along a transect from an urbanized estuary draining a peat-rich catchment (Tyne, UK). The most abundant homologues were generally C29 or C31, and the carbon preference index (CPI; 1.8 to 6.4) and average chain length (ACL; 28.5 to 29.5) of C25–C33 n-alkanes became progressively lower in samples closer to …