Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments and mussels of Corral Bay, south central Chile.
PAHs were measured in sediments and mussels (Mytilus chilensis) from Carboneros and Puerto Claro, located in Corral Bay, Valdivia. According to the ratio of phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/pyrene concentrations, these sites are medium polluted with PAHs originating mainly from pyrolytic sources. Fluoranthene was the major component measured in mussels (3.1-390 ng g(-1) dry weight) and sediments (6.9-74.1 ng g(-1) dry weight). In general, mussels were mainly exposed to the dissolved fraction of the lower molecular weight PAHs (tri- and tetra-aromatics) while the higher molecular ring systems (penta- and hexa-aromatics) were more bioavailable to sediments. Mussel PAHs content was relatively constant, with the exception of the 1999 summer season (March), when higher concentration values were found in both sites; however, PAHs residues in sediments showed a temporal variation.
Universidad Austral de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Quimica, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile. hpalma@uach.cl
Hernan
H
Palma-Fleming
Adalberto J Asencio
AJ
P
Elena
E
Gutierrez
D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002677:Chile; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012621:Seasons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical