Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Western basin of the Mediterranean Sea

Type Article
Date 2011-01
Language English
Author(s) Galgani FrancoisORCID1, Martinez-Gomez Conception2, Giovanardi Franco3, Romanelli Giulia3, Caixach Josep4, Cento Alessandro5, Scarpato Alfonso3, Benbrahim Samir6, Messaoudi Sabri7, Deudero Salud8, Boulahdid Mostafa9, Benedicto Jose2, Andral Bruno1
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Lab LER PAC, ZP Bregaillon, F-83507 La Seyne Sur Mer, France.
2 : IEO, San Pedro Del Pinatar 30740, Murcia, Spain.
3 : ISPRA, I-00166 Rome, Italy.
4 : CSIC ACA, Barcelona 08034, Spain.
5 : SG Agnelli Angolo, PSTS Scpa, I-95030 Catania, Sicily, Italy.
6 : INRH, Casablanca 01, Morocco.
7 : INSTM, Salammbo 2025, Tunisia.
8 : Univ Is Baleares IMEDEA, Palma De Mallorca 07122, Balearic Isl, Spain.
9 : ESSMAL, Algiers 16320, Algeria.
Source Environmental Monitoring And Assessment (0167-6369) (Springer), 2011-01 , Vol. 172 , N. 1-4 , P. 301-317
DOI 10.1007/s10661-010-1335-5
WOS© Times Cited 55
Keyword(s) PAHs, Mediterranean Sea, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Caging, Monitoring
Abstract The Mytilos project was carried during the last 3 years (2004-2006) in order to evaluate the level of chemical contamination along the coasts of the western basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Active mussel watch consisted of caged (12 weeks) Mytilus galloprovincialis at 123 stations along the Mediterranean coasts of Spain, France, Italy, North Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Results indicated total PAHs levels in the range 22-106 mu g/kg dry weight. All large towns or industrial areas from all countries of the basin were affected. Analysis of the origin of contamination demonstrated mainly a pyrolytic origin except in some areas such as Maddalena, Napoli, Alger, and Cornigliano (Genova). Statistical analysis of the PAHs accumulation data enabled the characterisation and ranking of each coastal area. The overall results give scientific and technical basis for large-scale monitoring of the PAH contamination in the entire western Mediterranean basin.
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Galgani Francois, Martinez-Gomez Conception, Giovanardi Franco, Romanelli Giulia, Caixach Josep, Cento Alessandro, Scarpato Alfonso, Benbrahim Samir, Messaoudi Sabri, Deudero Salud, Boulahdid Mostafa, Benedicto Jose, Andral Bruno (2011). Assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Western basin of the Mediterranean Sea. Environmental Monitoring And Assessment, 172(1-4), 301-317. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1335-5 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00021/13189/