title: Distribution and ecological risk of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface sediments from the Bizerte lagoon, Tunisia.
abstract: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were determined in 18 surface sediment samples collected from Bizerte lagoon, Tunisia. The total concentrations of ten PCBs (∑PCBs) and of four OCPs (∑OCPs) in the sediments from this area ranged from 0.8 to 14.6 ng g(-1) dw (average value, 3.9 ng g(-1) dw) and from 1.1 to 14.0 ng g(-1) dw (average value, 3.3 ng g(-1) dw), respectively. Among the OCPs, the range of concentrations of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were 0.3-11.5 ng g(-1) dw (1.9 ng g(-1) dw) and 0.6-2.5 ng g(-1) dw (1.4 ng g(-1) dw), respectively. Compositional analyses of the POPs indicated that PCB 153, 138 and 180 were the predominant congeners accounting for 60 % of the total PCBs. In addition, p,p'-DDT was found to be the dominant DDTs, demonstrating recent inputs in the environment. Compared with some other regions of the world, the Bizerte lagoon exhibited low levels of PCBs and moderate levels of HCB and DDTs. The high ratios ΣPCBs/ΣDDTs indicated predominant industrial versus agricultural activities in this area. According to the established guidelines for sediment quality, the risk of adverse biological effects from such levels of OCPs and PCBs, as recorded at most of the study sites, was insignificant. However, the higher concentrations in stations S1 and S3 could cause biological damage.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (05/UR/12-03), University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Badreddine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barhoumi
authors.forename: Karyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: LeMenach
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Dévier
authors.forename: Yassine
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: El megdiche
authors.forename: Bechir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hammami
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ben Ameur
authors.forename: Sihem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Hassine
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cachot
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Budzinski
authors.forename: Mohamed Ridha
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Driss
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D003634:DDT / Q000032:analysis; D004463:Ecology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene / Q000032:analysis; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014416:Tunisia; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D006581:Hexachlorobenzene; D003634:DDT; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C014024:2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl