Hydrocarbons and fatty acids in surficial sediments (French Mediterranean coastal zones).
A detailed study has been made of hydrocarbons and fatty acids in nine surficial Mediterranean sediments. The hydrocarbon concentrations are generally low. The nature and the distribution of the hydrocarbons found in these sediments indicate that they originate from several different sources (terrestrial, biogenic, pyrolytic) and petroleum inputs are usually not the main source of hydrocarbons. Fatty acid concentrations vary in the range 2-52 mg.kg-1 dry sediment. Fatty acid distributions, between C14 and C20 show the biogenic autochthonous inputs. Branched and cyclopropanic fatty acids reflect a bacterial origin. These distributions are markedly different in oxic and anoxic sediments.
Mille
G
G
Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de St. Jérôme, Centre de Spectroscopie Moléculaire, URA 1409 CNRS, Marseille, France.
el Jammal
T
T
Doumenq
P
P
Bertrand
J C
JC
D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005602:France; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D012623:Seawater
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D011083:Polycyclic Compounds