Abstract
Sediments from cores collected at two sites in the Namibian Shelf area offshore of southwest Africa have been analyzed for perylene. In all samples, perylene was abundant and was the only high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon present. Concentrations ranged from 170ng perylene/g dry sediment to 820ng/g and showed a gradient toward maximum concentrations in the deeper core sections. These results lead to one of two possible and somewhat contradictory conclusions:
1.
(1) if the input of terrigenous material into these sediments is in fact minimal, then an aquatic rather than terrestrial precursor for perylene is indicated, or
2.
(2) there is indeed more terrestrial matter accumulating in Namibian Shelf sediments than generally assumed.