Identification and distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments, seawater and Ruditapes decussatus collected from a Mediterranean Sea site

摘要

The goal of this study was to assess the degree of pollution in three different matrices in the navigation canal of Tunis. Using appropriate techniques we showed that Total Hydrocarbons (THCs) in the sediment samples ranged from 160 mg/kg to 5500 mg/kg. But in the seawater the THCs ranged from 2 mg/L to 80 mg/L due to petroleum hydrocarbons. The Total Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (TAHs) in R. decussatus varied from 1 μg/g to 15 μg/g of wet weight. The molluscs collected at the navigation canal in the summer appeared to have been affected by a recent petroleum discharge.