BTs, PAHs, PCBs, and OCPs in sediments and bivalve mollusks in a mid-latitude environment from the Patagonian coastal zone.

COMMENDATORE, M.G,; FRANCO, M.A.; GOMEZ COSTA P; BRAGA DE CASTRO,I.; FILLMAN, G.; BIGATTI G.; ESTEVES, J.L.; NIEVAS, M.L.

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY

SETAC PRESS

Año: 2015 vol. 34 p. 2750 - 2763

0730-7268

Abstract: BTs, PAHs, OCPs and PCBs were assessed in a mid-latitude environment of the Patagoniancoast, distant from important pollutant sources. Bioaccumulation processes through bottom sedimentre-suspension were suggested by BTs level found in surface sediment (<LOD-166.5 ng (Sn) g-1dw) andbivalve mollusks (29.4-206.0 ng (Sn) g-1 dw); while imposex incidence was only 15% in the gastropodP. plumbea collected near a harbor. Low hydrocarbon pollution was found in sediments and bivalveswith ΣPAHs(16) ranging from<LOD to 94.9 and from<LOD to 54.9 ng g-1dw, respectively. Valueswere typical of locations distant from pollutant sources and showed different compositional patterns forboth substrates. However, concentrations for some individual PAHs in sediments were found over thethreshold effect level (TEL).On average ΣPCB not exceed the SQGs being 0.57 ± 0.88 ng g-1 dw insediments and 0.41 ± 0.26 ng g-1 dw in bivalves. Average ΣOCPs in sediments were 0.53 ± 0.34 ng g-1dw and ranged from <LOD to 0.22 ng g-1dw in bivalves, showing a different pattern and suggesting adifferent accumulation pathway as it was found for PAHs. While both discrete and atmospheric sourcescan be considered for PAHs, OCs pollution was clearly related to atmospheric global transport,indicating that in the studied area, OCPs and PCBs suffer permanent or temporal deposition duringtheir migration to southern zones.