Title: Identification and distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments, seawater and Ruditapes decussatus collected from a Mediterranean Sea site

Authors: Z. Khedir-Ghenim, I. Zrafi-Nouira, R. Bahri, H. Belayouni, M. Hammami, M. Rouabhia, D. Saidane-Mosbahi

Addresses: Faculte de Pharmacie de Monastir, Laboratoire d'Analyse, Traitement et Valorisation des Polluants de l'Environnement et des Produits, Rue Avicenne 5000, Monastir, Tunisia. ' Faculte de Pharmacie de Monastir, Laboratoire d'Analyse, Traitement et Valorisation des Polluants de l'Environnement et des Produits, Rue Avicenne 5000, Monastir, Tunisia. ' Faculte de Pharmacie de Monastir, Laboratoire d'Analyse, Traitement et Valorisation des Polluants de l'Environnement et des Produits, Rue Avicenne 5000, Monastir, Tunisia. ' Faculte des Sciences, Laboratoire de Geochimie Organique, Al Manar II Tunis, Tunisia. ' Faculte de Medecine, Laboratoire de Biochimie et de Spectrometrie de Masse, Monastir, Tunisia. ' Faculte de Medecine dentaire, Universite Laval, Groupe de recherche en ecologie buccale, Quebec, Canada. ' Faculte de Pharmacie de Monastir, Laboratoire d'Analyse, Traitement et Valorisation des Polluants de l'Environnement et des Produits, Rue Avicenne 5000, Monastir, Tunisia

Abstract: The goal of this study was to assess the degree of pollution in three different matrices in the navigation canal of Tunis. Using appropriate techniques we showed that Total Hydrocarbons (THCs) in the sediment samples ranged from 160 mg/kg to 5500 mg/kg. But in the seawater the THCs ranged from 2 mg/L to 80 mg/L due to petroleum hydrocarbons. The Total Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (TAHs) in R. decussatus varied from 1 µg/g to 15 µg/g of wet weight. The molluscs collected at the navigation canal in the summer appeared to have been affected by a recent petroleum discharge.

Keywords: petroleum hydrocarbons; sediments; seawater; navigation canals; Tunisia; Ruditapes decussatus; water pollution; petroleum discharges.

DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2009.023081

International Journal of Water, 2009 Vol.5 No.1, pp.35 - 50

Published online: 08 Feb 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article