Volatile organic compounds in seawater from the Peru upwelling region1,2

The concentrations and distributions of individual volatile organic compounds in seawater were determined at six stations in the upwelling region off the coast of Peru by vapor phase stripping, glass capillary gas chromatography, and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry techniques. Saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, alkylated benzenes, and aldehydes were found. Individual compound concentrations varied from <2 ng·kg −1 to about 60 ng·kg −1 All of the volatile compounds were present at higher concentrations in surface than in deeper waters, but each class of compounds had a unique horizontal distribution. Spatial distributions and correlations with hydrographic data suggest possible sources and transformations.