Investigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments and the tissue of the sea urchin Echinometra mathaei along the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf, Bushehr Province

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student in Marine Biology, Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Associate Professor in Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

3 Professor in Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB). University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

10.22124/japb.2023.24635.1499

Abstract

The Persian Gulf is a semi-closed inland sea with specific ecological conditions, and the level of oil pollution in it exceeds the global average acceptable for the marine environment. Echinoderms, due to their benthic nature, are more exposed to sediment pollution. This study was conducted in the intertidal zones of Bushehr province, including the shores of Shaghab, Owli, Shirino, Nay-Band, the T-pier and the Northern Khark Island, to determine the level of contamination in sediments and the tissue of the sea urchin Echinometra mathaei. Sampling was carried out in two seasons, winter and summer (2014-2015). In the laboratory, the samples were analyzed for the type and concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using chromatography and GC-MS. The highest concentration of PAHs in the sediments at the T pier in Khark was found to be naphthalene (913.7ng/g dry weight) in the winter, while the highest concentration of PAHs in the tissue was measured as phenanthrene (371.5ng/g dry weight) in the summer. No significant difference was observed between the levels of PAHs in sediments and tissues (P>0.05). The trend of PAH accumulation in sediments and tissues was increasing. The level of PAHs in sediments across all study areas (3059-441ng/g) was higher than the global standards set for sediments (197µg/kg), indicating greater pollution in the examined areas. A comparison of pollution accumulation in the tissues of the sea urchin with other aquatic species revealed higher PAH levels in the tissues of benthic species. This finding is due to the habitat and feeding type of these organisms, highlighting the importance of this species and the need for environmental toxicological studies on it.

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