title: Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in ten commercial fish species along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in ten commercial fish species and water samples in three estuaries along Tamilnadu coast, Bay of Bengal, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fish and water samples collected from Tamilnadu coast, India, were extracted and analyzed for petroleum hydrocarbons by ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF) spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The petroleum hydrocarbon concentration (PHC) in coastal waters and fish species varied between 2.28 and 14.02 μg/l and 0.52 and 2.05 μg/g, respectively. The highest PHC concentration was obtained in Uppanar estuarine waters (14.02 ± 0.83) and the lowest was observed in Vellar estuarine waters (2.28 ± 0.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among the ten fish species, Sardinella longiceps have high PHC concentration from all the locations. This study suggests that S. longiceps can be used as a good biological indicator for petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in water.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in coastal waters along Tamilnadu coast is markedly higher than that in the background, but there is no evidence for its increase in fish of this region. From a public health point, petroleum hydrocarbon residue levels in all fish samples analyzed in this study are considerably lower than the hazardous levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At present, as Tamilnadu coastal area is in a rapid development stage of new harbour, chemical industries, power plants, oil exploration and other large-scale industries, further assessment of petroleum hydrocarbons and the various hydrodynamic conditions acting in the region are to be studied in detail and continuous pollution monitoring studies should be conducted for improving the aquatic environment. The results will also be useful for pollution monitoring program along the coastal region and also to check the levels of petroleum hydrocarbons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, 608 002, Tamilnadu, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veerasingam
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Venkatachalapathy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudhakar
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rajeswari
authors.forename: R Mohamed
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Asanulla
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sutharsan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005398:Fisheries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D007194:India; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical