title: Persistence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments in the deeper area of the Northern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea).
abstract: The Po Valley is the most important agricultural and industrial area of Adriatic basin. In this area there are several rivers which transport polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the sea via suspended particulate matter. This study describes the persistence of PAHs in the deep and coastal sediments of the Northern Adriatic. Different environmental conditions were studied: salinity, temperature, sunlight, sediment particle size and organic matter in sediment. The average conditions in the deep areas of the Northern Adriatic are: salinity higher than 37, temperature lower than 11 °C, darkness and clayey sediments with a high organic matter content. These conditions increase the persistence of the PAHs in the deep area of the Northern Adriatic.
authors.affiliation: National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Marine Science (ISMAR), Largo Fiera della Pesca, 2, 60125 Ancona, Italy. m.marini@ismar.cnr.it
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frapiccini
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical