Comparative study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coral tissues and the ambient sediments from Kenting National Park, Taiwan

Fung-Chi Ko; Chiung-Wen Chang; Jing-O Cheng

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2013.10.025

Comparative study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coral tissues and the ambient sediments from Kenting National Park, Taiwan

Environ Pollut. 2014 Feb:185:35-43. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.10.025. Epub 2013 Nov 8.

Authors

Fung-Chi Ko¹, Chiung-Wen Chang², Jing-O Cheng³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung 944, Taiwan, ROC; National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: ko@mail.ndhu.edu.tw.
² Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung 944, Taiwan, ROC.
³ National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROC.

PMID: 24212232
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.10.025

Abstract

Surface sediments and corals (Acropora sp. and Montipora sp.) from the coastline of Kenting were analyzed in 2009 and 2010 for content levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total PAH concentrations (t-PAH) in corasls (143-1715 ng g(-1) dw) were significantly higher than in the ambient sediments (2-59 ng g(-1) dw) indicating the bioaccumulation of PAHs in corals. The spatial and seasonal variation in PAH levels suggested that land-loaded contaminants may be the main source of PAHs in the Kenting coral reefs. Based on molecular indices, PAHs were substantially of petroleum origin. The major PAH components were phenanthrene, pyrene and fluorine, but PAH congeners in corals and sediments still have characteristic composition patterns which would be altered by the bio/accumulation mechanisms. Further study is essential to assess and understand the impacts of these chemicals on coral reefs.

Keywords: Bioaccumulation; Coral reefs; PAHs; PCA; Sediments.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Anthozoa / chemistry*
Conservation of Natural Resources
Environmental Monitoring
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Geologic Sediments / chemistry*
Petroleum Pollution
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
Taiwan
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Water Pollutants, Chemical