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Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of lower reaches of the Don River (Russia) and their ecotoxicologic assessment by bacterial lux-biosensors

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment volume 187, Article number: 277 (2015) Cite this article

Abstract

The lower Don River in the south of the European part of Russia was studied to determine the concentration, spatial distribution, and sources of 19 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 14.2 to 529 ng/g-dw. Sedimentary PAH concentrations were higher in the delta of the Don River and in the estuaries of rivers Sal and Aksai compared to the main channel of the Don. Analysis of the PAHs sources showed that PAHs came mostly from pyrogenic sources as a result of incomplete combustion of coal. Bioluminescent bacterial sensors were used for ecotoxicological assessment of surface sediments. The surface sediments of all the investigated stations of lower reaches of the Don River were toxic and genotoxic. The maximum concentration of PAHs and the high genotoxicity effect caused by the presence of genotoxicants were found in the surface sediments of the same stations. Significant correlations between the concentrations of individual PAHs in sediments and the genotoxic effect were found. Correlation between genotoxicity of surface sediments and concentration of phenanthrene and benz(k)fluoranthene was the most significant both with and without application of metabolic activation.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded by the Southern Federal University (grant no. 213.01-07-2014/12 PCVG), the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (grant no. 1894), and the leading scientific school of the Russian Federation (grant no. NS-2449.2014.4).

Ethical statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

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  1. Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia

    I. S. Sazykin, M. A. Sazykina, M. I. Khammami, N. V. Kostina, L. E. Khmelevtsova & R. G. Trubnik

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  1. I. S. Sazykin
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  2. M. A. Sazykina
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  3. M. I. Khammami
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  4. N. V. Kostina
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  5. L. E. Khmelevtsova
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Correspondence to M. A. Sazykina.

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Sazykin, I.S., Sazykina, M.A., Khammami, M.I. et al. Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of lower reaches of the Don River (Russia) and their ecotoxicologic assessment by bacterial lux-biosensors. Environ Monit Assess 187, 277 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4406-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-4406-9

Keywords

  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
  • Surface sediments
  • The Don River
  • Distribution
  • Lux-biosensor
  • Toxicity