title: Distribution of trace metals, aliphatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment cores from the Sicily Channel and the gulf of Tunis (south-western Mediterranean Sea).
abstract: Under the framework of the IAEA's Technical Co-operation project RAF7/004, international research cruises were carried out in 2004 to assess the distribution of radionuclides and micropollutants in the south-western Mediterranean Sea. Sediments samples had variable concentrations of total aliphatic hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ranging from 0.2 to 1.8 microg g(-1) and 26.9 to 364.4 ng g(-1), respectively, in the Sicily Channel and from 0.7 to 2.8 microg g(-1) and 14.7 to 618.1 ng g(-1), respectively, in the open sea of the Gulf of Tunis. Hydrocarbon concentrations changed with depth and were relatively high at 3 cm and 10 cm depths. The use of 'fingerprint' ratios of certain isomeric pairs of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and the proportion of 2-3 ring and 4-5 ring PAH concentrations showed that the main origins are characteristic of petroleum sources. The ranges of trace metal concentrations, expressed in microgg(-1), in the Sicily Channel and in the Gulf of Tunis, respectively, were: Hg 0.009-0.2 and 0.02-0.1; Pb 9.9-26.1 and 21.2-32.5; Cd 0.06-0.1 and 0.07-0.33; Fe 23.7-28.1 and 29.9-36.2p; Zn 83-99.5 and 83-104; Mn 309.2-752.5 and 651-814; Cu 17.1-18.5 and 33.5-51.3. Sediment metal abundances were in the order: Mn > Zn > Fe > Cu > Pb > Cd > Hg. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.001) for trace metal and hydrocarbon mean concentrations between the two cores. These concentrations are generally similar to the background levels from the Mediterranean Sea and could be affected by physico-chemical conditions and sedimentation rate as well as biodegradation.
authors.affiliation: Institut National des Sciences et Technologie de la Mer, Laboratoire Milieu Marin, port de pêche, 2060 La Goulette, Tunisia. nadia.mzoughi@instm.rnrt.tn
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mzoughi
authors.forename: Lassaad
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chouba
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006839:Hydrocarbons, Acyclic / Q000032:analysis*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D012802:Sicily; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D006839:Hydrocarbons, Acyclic; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons