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Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water, seston and copepods in a harbour area in the Western Mediterranean (Ligurian Sea)
Author(s) -
Pane Luigi,
Boccardo Simona,
Bonfiglioli Fabio,
Mariottini Gian Luigi,
Priano Francesca,
Conio Osvaldo
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
marine ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.668
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1439-0485
pISSN - 0173-9565
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0485.2005.00042.x
Subject(s) - fluoranthene , seston , environmental chemistry , benthic zone , environmental science , pollutant , mediterranean sea , mediterranean climate , pyrene , polybrominated diphenyl ethers , particulates , plankton , ecology , phytoplankton , chemistry , phenanthrene , biology , organic chemistry , nutrient
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic pollutants that can significantly affect ecosystems and exert an influence on marine planktonic and benthic communities as well as on higher organisms such as fish and mammals, including humans. In this paper the concentrations of six PAHs in water, seston and copepods were examined in a harbour zone of the Genova Gulf (Ligurian Sea) from November 1997 to June 1998. The importance of freshwater inputs coming from a polluted stream and the influence of seasonal and atmospheric factors were also considered. Highest PAH values were recorded during spring. Fluoranthene, Benzo[b]fluoranthene and Benzo[k]fluoranthene were the most abundant PAHs either in water, seston or copepods. The concentration of total PAHs in seawater was often lower than the detection limit: recorded values ranged between 0.001 and 0.06 ppb. In seston, total PAHs ranged between 0.033 and 6.26 ng·g −1 and in copepods between 0.01 and 2.34 ng·g −1 . With this study, PAH contamination in the harbour zone of Genova Sestri‐Ponente and the importance of inputs of organic pollutants coming from land and freshwaters have been emphasized.