Abstract
The levels of 16 USEPA priority PAHs in surface sediments and four dated sediment cores from Toulon Bay were determined and characterized by strong implantation. The total PAH levels in the superficial sediments ranged from 0.30 to 34.11 mg.kg-1 dry weight in the 0-5 layer and from 0.34 to 54.68 mg.kg-1 dry weight in the 5-10 layer. The qualitative assessment of sediment samples revealed relatively high PAH levels compared with French reference values. The results indicated that the PAHs in Toulon Bay are of pyrolytic origin. Estimating the rate of sedimentation based on pronounced events, such as explosive growth in the use of petroleum products, major developments, and periods of conflict, can be used to follow the history of pollution based on its composition over a period of approximately 130 to 180 years, depending on the length of the cores.
Highlights
For several decades, the continuous development of human activities has resulted in the discharge of massive amounts of waste into the environment
Our study focuses on evaluating the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination in sediments of Toulon Bay, which is a semi-enclosed bay that is exposed to strong anthropic impacts and is where a large number of contaminants are dumped, leading to the progressive degradation of the environment
The aims of this study were to (a) describe the spatial and temporal distributions of PAHs collected in Toulon Bay, (b) estimate sediment toxicity with respect to reference values, and (c) identify events and estimate sedimentation rates based on pronounced events along the cores
Summary
The continuous development of human activities has resulted in the discharge of massive amounts of waste into the environment. According to the USEPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), more than 100,000 tons of industrial waste are discharged directly into rivers, lakes and coastal marine environments every year, and most of these effluents, those produced by fossil fuel combustion or by the discharge of petroleum-related materials in the refining and chemical industries, are highly toxic [1]. These industrial wastes mainly include organic compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which adsorb to particles and reach the ground or surface water by deposition [2]. These compounds exhibit physical, chemical and toxicological properties that vary according to their molecular structures and are characterized as follows: low solubility; a very high partition coefficient that results in the adsorption and binding of the hydrocarbons to clay minerals and lipids, respectively; very high chemical stability, which explains their persistence in the environment; and clear carcinogenic or mutagenic activity for the heavier entities (4 to 6 aromatic rings)
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