Anthropogenic contribution, transport, and accumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in sediments of the continental shelf and slope in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

A multidisciplinary approach, involving geochemical, sedimentological and oceanographic analyses, was employed to examine the distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a strongly anthropized area of the marginal Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean basin). The investigation into PAH distribution considered the grain size and biogeochemical properties of the sediments, as well as in relation to the main oceanographic processes and river inputs. Both biogeochemical and hydrographical inputs regulated the sedimentation of organic particles, influencing the distribution of PAHs. The results indicated PAH levels in 116 marine surface sediments ranging from 4 to 235 ng g−1 (average 55 ng g−1). The distribution of PAHs in Adriatic Sea surface sediments aligned with a higher clayey sedimentation in the deeper basin areas of the Middle Adriatic Depression.