Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Distribution and Sources of Aliphatic and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments, Fish and Bivalves of Abu Qir Bay (Egyptian Mediterranean Sea)

  • Published:
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected and quantified in recent marine sediments and selected species from fishes, bivalves and crustaceans of Abu Qir Bay during the period January–October 2004. Nineteen sampling stations were chosen to collect sediment samples covering almost the Bay area. Total PAHs found in the surficial bottom sediments of the Bay were identified in moderate values ranging between 69 and 1,464 ng/g dry weights. The distribution pattern of these compounds showed the availability of most di, tri- and tetra aromatics in the Bay area in addition to their alkyl derivatives. High molecular weight aromatic hydrocarbons of five or more ring were detected everywhere in the Bay sediments. Certain number of pairs of isomer PAH concentrations are used for five origin molecular indices to identify the PAH concentration sources in the sediments of the Bay: Fluo/Py, Fluo/[Fluo + Py], LMW/HMW, BbF/BaP and BkF/BaP. Abu Qir Bay sediment samples were contaminated mainly by pyrolytic and petrogenic contaminations with strong pyrolytic inputs in the southwestern basin, while the northeastern area of the Bay is contaminated mainly by petrogenic PAHs. The studied biota samples of the Bay revealed levels of moderately contaminated specimens with total PAHs, while the carcinogenic PAH, benzo(a)pyrene were detected in most biological samples in levels ranged between 30.3 and 358 ng/g with an average of 152.4 ng/g should be taken into consideration.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baumard P, Budzinski H, Michon Q, Garrigues P, Burgeot T, Bellocq J (1998) Origin and bioavailability of PAHs in the Mediterranean Sea from mussel and sediment samples. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 47:77–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Rayis OA, Saad MAH, El-Nady FE (1993) Dispersion patterns of fresh water in Abu-Qir bay, Egypt. Environmental protection is a Must, HIPH of Alex. Univ. 3rd int. conf. on Alex. 13–15 April 1993, pp 103–113

  • El Nemr A, Said TO, Khaled A, El Sikaily A, Abd-Allah AMA (2007) The distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments along the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. Environ Monit Assess 124:343–359

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • European Union (2002) Health and consumer product directorate general. Polycyclic Aromatic hydrocarbons-occurrence in food, dietary exposures and health effect

  • Garrigues P, Narbonne JF, La Faurie M, Ribera D, Lemaire P, Raoux C, Michel X, Salaun JP, Monod JL, Romeo M (1993) Banking of environmental samples for short—term biochemical and chemical monitoring of organic contamination in coastal marine environments. The GICBEM experience (1986–1990). Sci. Total Environ 139/140:225–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gschwend PM, Hites RA (1981) Fluxes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to marine and lacustrine sediments in the northeastern United States. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 45:2359–2367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hassan H (1999) Dynamics of cadmium and lead in Abu Qir Bay and their effects on marine organisms. Ph.D. Thesis, Oceanography Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University

  • Kavouras I, Koutrakis P, Tsapakis M, Lagoudaki E, Stephanou E, Baer D, Oyola P (2001) Source appointment of urban aliphatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using multivariate methods. Environ Sci Technol 35:2288–2294

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim GB, Maruya KA, Lee RF, Lee JH, Koh CH, Tanabe S (1999) Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from Kyeonggi Bay, Korea. Mar Poll Bull 38:7–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Long ER, MacDonald DD, Smith SL, Calder FD (1995) Incidence of adverse biological effects within ranges of chemical concentrations in marine and estuarine sediments. Environ Manage 19:81–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mackie PR, Hardy R, Whittle KJ, Bruce C, McGill AS (1980) Tissue hydrocarbon burden of mussels from various sites around the Scottish Coast. In: Bjoresh A Dunnis AJ (eds) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons chemistry and biological effects. Battle Press, Columbus, pp 379–393

    Google Scholar 

  • McElroy AE, Farrington JW, Teal JM (1989) Bioavailability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the aquatic environment. In: Vanarasi U (ed) CRC, Boca Raton, pp 1–40

  • Menzie CA, Potocki BB (1992) Santodonato, J. Exposure to carcinogenic PAHs in the environment. Environ Sci Technol 26:1278–1284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peters KE, Moldowan JM (1993) Bioaccumulation patterns of hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in bivalves, crustacean and fishes. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 26:273–281

    Google Scholar 

  • Pruell RJ, Quinn JG (1985) Geochemistry of organic contaminants in Narragansett Bay sediments. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 21:295–312

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Readman JW, Fillman G, Tolosa I, Bartocci J, Villeneuve JP, Catinni C, Mee LD (2002) Petroleum and PAH contamination of the Black Sea. Mar Poll Bull 44:48–62

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Said MA, Ennet P, Kokkila T, Sarkkula J (1995) Modeling of transport processes in Abu-Qir, Egypt. In: Ozhan E (ed) Proceedings of the 2nd int. conf. on the Mediterranean coastal environment. MEDCOAST 95, 24–27 October 1995. Tarragona, Spain

  • Saliot A (1981) Natural hydrocarbons in seawater. In: Dursma EK, Dawson R (eds) Marine organic chemistry. evolution, composition, interactions and chemistry of organic matter in sweater. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 237

    Google Scholar 

  • Sicre MA, Marty JC, Saliot A (1987) Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in different sized aerosols over the Mediterranean Sea: occurrence and origin. Atm Environ 21:2247–2259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simko P, Anyakora C, Ogbeche A, Palmer P, Coker H (2004) Determination of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in marine samples of Siokola fishing settlement. J Chrom 2:21–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson CD, Mosi AA, Cullen WR, Reimer KJ (1998) Composition and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination in surficial marine sediment from kitimat harbor Canada. Sci Total Environ 181:265–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinhauer MS, Boehm PD (1992) The composition and distribution of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons in near shore sediments, river sediments and coastal peat of Alaskan Beaufort: implications for detecting anthropogenic hydrocarbon inputs. Mar Environ Res 33:223–253

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsapakis M, Stephanou EG, Karakassis I (2003) Evaluation of Atmospheric transport as a no point source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments of the Eastern Mediterranean. Mar Chem 80:283–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • UNEP/IOC/IAEA (1992) Determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments. References methods for marine pollution studies, vol 20, pp 1–75

  • US EPA (1993) Proposed sediment quality criteria for the protection of benthic organism. PA-882-R-93-012, EPA-882-R-93-013, EPA-882-R-93–014. US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington, DC

  • Wang Z, Fingas M, Shu Y, Sigouin L, Landriault M, Lambert P, Turpin R, Campagna P, Mullin J (1999) Quantitative characterization of PAHs in burn residue and soot samples and differentiation of pyrogenic PAHs from petrogenic PAHs—the 1994 mobile burn study. Environ Sci Technol 33:3100–3109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang GP (2000) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediments of the South China Sea. Environ Poll 108:163–171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Kayet Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

    Kamal Z. El Deeb, Tarek O. Said, Mohamed H. El Naggar & Mohamed A. Shreadah

Authors
  1. Kamal Z. El Deeb
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tarek O. Said
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohamed H. El Naggar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mohamed A. Shreadah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tarek O. Said.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

El Deeb, K.Z., Said, T.O., El Naggar, M.H. et al. Distribution and Sources of Aliphatic and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments, Fish and Bivalves of Abu Qir Bay (Egyptian Mediterranean Sea). Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 78, 373–379 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-007-9173-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-007-9173-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation