Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water, sediment and tissues of five sturgeon species in the southern Caspian Sea coastal regions

Abstract

Concentration levels of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) consisting of naphthalene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorine, phenantherene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, indeno(1,2,3-cd) pyrene and benzo(g,h,i)perylene were measured in water and sediment samples collected from the southern Caspian Sea coasts at four stations of Noshahr, Freydoonkenar, Sari and Amirabad during autumn, winter and spring of 2005-2006. Also, tissue samples from five sturgeon species including stellate sturgeon, Persian sturgeon, beluga, Russian sturgeon and ship sturgeon were obtained. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography after the extraction process and the obtained data were statistically analyzed using One-Way ANOVA analysis at confidence level 95%. The mean concentrations of PAHs in water and sediment samples were 0.004-2.946 mgl-1 and 0.024- 2.336 µg g-1, respectively. No significant difference was found in the mean concentrations of PAHs among stations and seasons of the examined samples. Also, mean concentration of PAHs in the liver, muscles, gills, kidney and gonads of five sturgeon species was 0.81-1.34 µgg-1. The results of this study show that the levels of PAHs in water, sediment and sturgeon organs were below the acceptable levels of PAHs proposed by USEPA and WHO.