Origin and distribution of hydrocarbons and organic matter in the surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea)

Hatem Zaghden; Marc Tedetti; Sami Sayadi; Mohamed Moncef Serbaji; Boubaker Elleuch; Alain Saliot

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.02.007

Origin and distribution of hydrocarbons and organic matter in the surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea)

Mar Pollut Bull. 2017 Apr 15;117(1-2):414-428. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.02.007. Epub 2017 Feb 13.

Authors

Hatem Zaghden¹, Marc Tedetti², Sami Sayadi³, Mohamed Moncef Serbaji⁴, Boubaker Elleuch⁵, Alain Saliot⁶

Affiliations

¹ Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat; Expérimentation et Approches Numériques LOCEAN, UMR CNRS 7159, CNRS/IRD/UPMC/MNHN, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Case courrier 100, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France; Laboratoire des Bioprocédés Environnementaux, Pôle d'Excellence Régional AUF (PER-LBP), Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, BP, 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia. Electronic address: hatem.zaghden@gmail.com.
² Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, 13288 Marseille, France.
³ Laboratoire des Bioprocédés Environnementaux, Pôle d'Excellence Régional AUF (PER-LBP), Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, BP, 1177, 3018 Sfax, Tunisia.
⁴ Study and Management of Coastal and Urban Environments, National School of Engineers of Sfax, University of Sfax, Soukra, 3038, Sfax, Tunisia.
⁵ Laboratoire Eau-Energie-Environnement (Lab 3E), Université de Sfax, ENIS, BP W, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia.
⁶ Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat; Expérimentation et Approches Numériques LOCEAN, UMR CNRS 7159, CNRS/IRD/UPMC/MNHN, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Case courrier 100, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France.

PMID: 28209363
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.02.007

Abstract

We investigated the origin and distribution of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs and PAHs) and organic matter (OM) in surficial sediments of the Sfax-Kerkennah channel in the Gulf of Gabès (Tunisia, Southern Mediterranean Sea). TOC, AH and PAH concentrations ranged 2.3-11.7%, 8-174μgg^-1sed.dw and 175-10,769ngg^-1sed.dw, respectively. The lowest concentrations were recorded in the channel (medium sand sediment) and the highest ones in the Sfax harbor (very fine sand sediment). AHs, PAHs and TOC were not correlated for most of the stations. TOC/N and δ¹³C values revealed a mixed origin of OM with both marine and terrestrial sources. Hydrocarbon molecular composition highlighted the dominance of petrogenic AHs and the presence of both petrogenic and pyrogenic PAHs, associated with petroleum products and combustion processes. This work underscores the complex distribution patterns and the multiple sources of OM and hydrocarbons in this highly anthropogenized coastal environment.

Keywords: Gulf of Gabès; Hydrocarbons; Mediterranean Sea; Organic matter; Sediment; Sfax.

MeSH terms

Environmental Monitoring*
Geologic Sediments*
Mediterranean Sea
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis*
Tunisia
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Water Pollutants, Chemical