Selected organic pollutants (PAHs, PCBs) in water and sediments of Annaba Bay, Algeria

Abstract

Annaba Bay is a coastal area (southwestern Mediterranean Sea) that receives large diffuse inputs from the Seybouse and Bouhamra wadis, which are influenced by anthropogenic activities. Surface waters and sediments from these wadis were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (16 PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (seven PCBs) by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Total PAHs ranged from 0.183 to 0.503 µg l− 1, in water, and from 250.16 to 509.58 µg.kg− 1 dw in sediments. Total PCB levels ranged from 0 to 0.003 µg l− 1 in water, and from 2.15 to 6.37 µg.kg− 1 dw in sediments. In order to identify pollution emission sources of PAHs, different diagnostic ratios were used, including low molecular weight/high molecular weight indexes. The results show that the pollution origin was mainly due to pyrolytic inputs in waters and sediments.