Bioaccmulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Barbatia helblingii from Bushehr coast

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a large group of organic pollutants that are part of the World Health Organization's hazardous substance list. Oil spill is one of the major routes for the introduction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) into marine ecosystems. Oil tank vessels, platforms, oil pipelines, gas and petrochemical industries, and urban and industrial wastewater are the most important contributors to oil pollution in the coastal waters of the Bushehr province. In this study, concentrations and accumulation of aromatic hydrocarbons in the Barbatia helblingii and sediments on the coasts of Bushehr at 5 stations along the Bushehr coastline were measured and calculated. The concentration of tPAHs was 935-4972 ng/g in sediments and 140 to 638 ng/g in oysters. In contrast to other parts of the world, PAHs contamination in the studied area is moderate to high. The bioaccumulation of PAHs in the oyster is not high from sediments and these compounds seem to be more concentrated from water. In addition, bioaccumulation of compounds with a lower molecular weight, such as three-ring compounds, was higher than other compounds.