PAH effects on meio- and microbial benthic communities strongly depend on bioavailability

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the Coast of Weihai, China: Spatial distribution, sources and ecotoxicological risks

“…Because of their high toxicological risk, 16 selected PAHs are listed as priority pollutants by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), seven of which are potentially carcinogenic to humans according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Because of their low aqueous solubility and high octanol/ water partition coefficient, PAHs entering the ocean tend to associate with particulate material and accumulate in the sediments (Lindgren et al, 2014;Naes et al, 1995). PAHs in the sediments will remobilize in the water column, then pose a threat to native aquatic organisms and finally accumulate in higher trophic levels because their half-life can range from years to decades (Cachot et al, 2006;Lindgren et al, 2014;Siddall et al, 1994;Tobiszewski and Namieśnik, 2012;Vane et al, 2013).…”

“…Because of their low aqueous solubility and high octanol/ water partition coefficient, PAHs entering the ocean tend to associate with particulate material and accumulate in the sediments (Lindgren et al, 2014;Naes et al, 1995). PAHs in the sediments will remobilize in the water column, then pose a threat to native aquatic organisms and finally accumulate in higher trophic levels because their half-life can range from years to decades (Cachot et al, 2006;Lindgren et al, 2014;Siddall et al, 1994;Tobiszewski and Namieśnik, 2012;Vane et al, 2013). Most PAHs persist in sediments until they are degraded (Tobiszewski and Namieśnik, 2012;Valentín et al, 2006), therefore, sediment studies can be effective approaches to PAHs contamination research, and PAHs are good indicators of historical anthropogenic impacts on the sedimentary environment.…”

Effects of Pollution on Marine Organisms

“…No Archaeal communities were detected in the marine waters contaminated with hydrocarbons, but they were present in the hypersaline hydrocarbon contaminated water. Lindgren et al (2014) found that the addition of Leite et al (2014) found no significant differences in nematode total density, diversity, and community structure as compared between marine diesel oil treated (2500 ml application) and control plots located in unvegetated tidal flats of the Paranaguá Estuarine…”

From Incorporation to Toxicity

“…At the community level, Lindgren et al (2014) have shown that PAH effects strongly depend on contaminant bioavailability. They underline the implications for risk analysis studies of petroleum-contaminated marine sediments, stating that sediment characteristics and their effects on bioavailability are important to include.…”