title: Comparative study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coral tissues and the ambient sediments from Kenting National Park, Taiwan.
abstract: Surface sediments and corals (Acropora sp. and Montipora sp.) from the coastline of Kenting were analyzed in 2009 and 2010 for content levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total PAH concentrations (t-PAH) in corasls (143-1715 ng g(-1) dw) were significantly higher than in the ambient sediments (2-59 ng g(-1) dw) indicating the bioaccumulation of PAHs in corals. The spatial and seasonal variation in PAH levels suggested that land-loaded contaminants may be the main source of PAHs in the Kenting coral reefs. Based on molecular indices, PAHs were substantially of petroleum origin. The major PAH components were phenanthrene, pyrene and fluorine, but PAH congeners in corals and sediments still have characteristic composition patterns which would be altered by the bio/accumulation mechanisms. Further study is essential to assess and understand the impacts of these chemicals on coral reefs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung 944, Taiwan, ROC; National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: ko@mail.ndhu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Fung-Chi
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung 944, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chiung-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Jing-O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000737:chemistry*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D013624:Taiwan; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Bioaccumulation; Coral reefs; PAHs; PCA; Sediments