Determination of Organic Chemicals in Sediments Taken from Three Unpolluted Estuaries in South West England

Sediment samples from three relatively unpolluted estuaries in south west England have been examined. All three estuaries (viz those of the rivers Dart, Exe and Teign) drain predominantly agricultural land and receive only low volumes of primarly domestic effluents. The results of this investigation have shown that the major components in the samples are of biogenic origin. They include components of the leaf waxes of higher plants (nC₂₇, nC₂₉ and nC₃₁ alkanes), a long chain (C₂₆) alcohol and sterols. Two of the latter, coprostanol and cholesterol, probably originate from sewage or animal waste discharges to the estuaries.