PAH content, toxicity and genotoxicity of coastal marine sediments from the Rovinj area, Northern Adriatic, Croatia (original) (raw)
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Environmental Sciences: Processes and Impacts, 2013
This paper describes a study of the occurrence, levels and temporal evolution of PAHs in a bay characterized by persistent chronic impacts. A total of 40 samples, 20 of sediment and 20 of water, were taken at each of five different stations, in four sampling campaigns. Analyses of pollutants have been made using GC-MS. Results indicate that in a coastal environment subjected to chronic pollution by pyrolytic PAHs, episodes of petrogenic pollution, like oil-spills, can be identified by the combination of different source ratios. Results also indicate that, in the study area, PAHs are transported from superficial water to sediment. This conclusion is based on the degree of coincidence found in the presence/absence of individual PAHs in both compartments and in their petrogenic/pyrolytic nature, the positive sedimentation rate in the study area, together with the performance of the analyses of unfiltered water and the distribution of sources of PAHs found. Environmental impact PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are ubiquitous pollutants in the environment, a few of them having well-known carcinogenic potential. Since the sources and abundance of PAHs are of special concern, these compounds have been studied in the two main abiotic marine compartments (sediment and seawater, compartments which may lead to exposure of aquatic organisms) of a semi-enclosed body of water, located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and characterized by a chronic persistent impact. Occurrence, levels and temporal evolution of PAHs were studied. Results indicate that in a coastal environment subjected to chronic pollution by pyrolytic PAHs, episodes of petrogenic pollution, like oil-spills, can be identied by the combination of different source ratios. Results also indicate that in the study area PAHs are transported from supercial water to sediment.
Health Risk Assessment of PAHs from Estuarine Sediments in the South of Italy
Toxics
Increased concerns about the toxicities of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), ubiquitous and persistent compounds, as well as the associated ecotoxicology issue in estuarine sediments, have drawn attention worldwide in the last few years. The levels of PAHs in the Sele, Sarno, and Volturno Rivers sediments were evaluated. Moreover, the cancerogenic risk resulting from dermal and ingestion exposure to PAHs was estimated using the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) assessment and the toxic equivalent concentration (TEQBaP). For Sele River, the results showed that the total PAH concentration ranged from 632.42 to 844.93 ng g−1 dw, with an average value of 738.68 ng g−1 dw. ∑PAHs were in the range of 5.2–678.6 ng g−1 dw and 434.8–872.1 ng g−1 dw for the Sarno and Volturno River sediments, respectively. The cancerogenic risk from the accidental ingestion of PAHs in estuarine sediments was low at all sampling sites. However, based on the ILCRdermal values obtained, the risk of ...
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 2005
Polycyclic aromatic hyftovst ond (PAH) are nearly ubiqutous contaminants of freshwater and marine sediments. Sediment PAHs are derived from combustion of organic matter, fossil fuels, and biosynthesis by microbes. Pyrogenic PAHs, particularly those associated with combustion particles (soot), have a low accessibility and bioavailability in sediments. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with petroleum, creosote, or coal tar in sediments may have a moderate accessibility/bioavailability, particularly if the PAHs are part of a nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) phase that is in contact with sediment pore water. We present a method for estimating the hazard of complex PAH assemblage in sediments to benthic organisms. Concentrations of all PAHs in sediment pore water are estimated by an equilibrium partitioning model relative to concentrations in bulk sediment. Predicted log Koc values can be used for predicting sediment/water partitioning of petrogenic PAH, but empirically derived log Kd values are needed to predict partitioning of pyrogenic PAH. A hazard quotient (HQ) for each PAH is calculated as the ratio of the estimated concentration in pore water to the chronic toxicity of the PAH determined by a log Kow/toxicity model. Hazard quotients for all PAH in a sample are summed to produce a hazard index (HI), which is a measure of the worst-case estimated hazard of the sediment PAH to benthic organisms. The results of this study show that the integration of HI results with PAH source data provides insights into the causes of sediment toxicity that are useful in an ecological risk assessment.
Environmental health engineering and management, 2021
Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are stable and highly toxic environmental pollutants, which are produced mainly through combustion processes. The present study aimed to identify and determine PAHs compounds and their ecotoxicological effects in surface sediments of 20 stations in Bushehr province (Assaluyeh, Kangan, Khark, Emam Hasan, and Bushehr areas). Methods: All sediment samples (0-5 cm) were collected from 20 sites of Persian Gulf costs (Bushehr province, Iran). The concentration of PAHs was determined by HPLC. Then, in order to identify the sources of PAHs, ƩLPAHs/ƩHPAHs, IP/ (IP + BP), PH/AN, and AN/(PH + AN) ratios were obtained. Sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and sediment quality criteria (SQC) were used to measure the PAHs ecotoxicological effects in sediments. Results: Based on PAHs isomeric ratios, the contaminants of sediments originated from pyrogenic resources. ƩPAHs values (ng/g dw) in sediment samples ranged from ND to 49180. The toxic equivalent concentration (TEQ car) of PAHs raged from ND-7999 ngTEQ/g. Based on SQGs and SQC, the concentrations of ƩPAHs compounds in 10% and 6% of the sampling stations exceeded effects range median (ERM) and frequent effect level (FEL), respectively, indicating negative ecological risk effects. Conclusion: Sampling stations sediments must be routinely checked for PAHs because may lead to a negative effect on the marine ecosystem, organisms, and humans.
Levels and toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments
Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2009
The occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the marine environment has attracted the attention of the scientific community, as these compounds are frequently detected in seawater and sediments at increasing levels and can have adverse health effects on marine organisms and humans. Several PAHs are potential human carcinogens and are included in the priority list of the European UnionÕs Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Research regarding their environmental levels requires their determination by gas-chromatography and liquid-chromatography techniques, which have been developed and optimized, especially for marine-sediment samples. Results of sample analyses reveal the increasing occurrence of many species of PAHs worldwide, especially in marine sediments, where they finally accumulate, mostly in areas near intense industrial activities. In parallel, research on the toxicity of PAHs and their mixtures is continuing and is aiming to provide more insight into the health risks associated with the levels of PAHs in the environment. ª
Concentration, sources and risk assessment of PAHs in bottom sediments
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2017
The aims of the study were to investigate the concentration, sources and ecological risk of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in bottom sediments collected from nine reservoirs located in southeastern Poland. The concentration of ∑PAHs in sediments ranged from 150 to 33,900 μg kg −1. The total PAH concentration in the bottom sediments was arranged in the following order: Rybnik > Rzeszów > Brzóza Królewska > Brzóza Stadnicka > Besko > Chechło > Ożanna > Głuchów > Narożniki. BAP was the major compound in sediments from the Besko, Brzóza Stadnicka and Rzeszów reservoirs; FLT in the sediments from the Rybnik, Narożniki, Ożanna and Brzóza Królewska reservoirs; and FLN from the Głuchów and Chechło reservoirs. The major inputs of PAHs were of pyrolytic origin. However, petrogenic sources of PAHs occurred especially in the Chechło and Głuchów reservoirs. The ecological risk assessment indicated that non-adverse effects on the benthic fauna may occur for sediments from the Głuchów, Narozniki and Ożanna reservoirs, while slightly adverse effects were found for sediments from the Brzóza Królewska, Besko, Brzóza Stadnicka and Chechło reservoirs. The other sediments showed moderate (Rzeszów reservoirs) and strong effect (Rybnik reservoir) on biological communities. Individual PAHs such as NAP, PHE, FLT, PYR, BAA, CHR and BAP in sediments from the Rybnik reservoir and BAP in sediments from the Rzeszów reservoirs indicated a higher possibility of occurrence of an adverse ecological effect. PCA analysis found slight difference between the reservoirs in the profile of variable PAHs. Only the sediments from the Rybnik and Chechło reservoirs differ considerably from this grouping.