Using Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) as a chemical proxy to indicate Tsunami 2004 backwash in Khao Lak coastal area, Thailand

 Using Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) as a chemical proxy to indicate Tsunami 2004

backwash in Khao Lak coastal area, Thailand

D. Tipmanee^1,2, W. Deelaman³, S. Pongpiachan⁴, K. Schwarzer⁵, and P. Sompongchaiyakul^6
1International Postgraduate Program in Environmental Management, Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University,
Bangkok, Thailand
²Center of Excellence for Environmental and Hazardous Waste Management (EHWM), Chulalongkorn University,
Bangkok, Thailand
³Environmental Research and Training Center, Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment, Pathumthani, Thailand
⁴The Graduate School of Social and Environmental Development, National Institute of Development Administration,
Bangkapi, Bangkok, Thailand
⁵Institute of Geosciences, Coastal and Shelf Research, Kiel University, Otto-Hahn-Platz 1, 24118 Kiel, Germany
⁶Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Correspondence to: P. Sompongchaiyakul ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )
Received: 29 December 2011 – Accepted: 7 February 2012 – Published: 14 May 2012

Abstract.
          In this study, we attempted to use PAHs as a chemical proxy to trace the transport of land-derived materials caused by the tsunami backwash to better understand how it may have affected the distribution of sedimentary deposition throughout the seabed of Khao Lak coastal areas. By analyzing the compositions of sedimentary PAHs in combination with application of the multivariate descriptive statistical techniques, PAHs were proven to be a promising chemical proxy to indicate the tsunami backwash in the study area. Their spatial distribution could indicate that the tsunami backwash plays an important role in transporting anthropogenic PAHs to the nearby coastal area as far as approximately 25 km from the shoreline. In addition, the results from diagnostic PAH isomer ratios suggested that road paving asphalt, originated from heavy erosion by the tsunami wave in front of Pakarang Cape, was among the identified sources of PAHs. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) results provided 2 estimated land-derived sources of PAHs, which were the road dust and oil burning sources. These estimated signature sources clearly support our hypothesis that PAHs were transported from the potential sources on land and deposited into the near-shore seabed during tsunami backwash.

Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 12, 1441–1451, 2012
www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/12/1441/2012/
doi:10.5194/nhess-12-1441-2012
© Author(s) 2012. CC Attribution 3.0 License.

Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.