Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Epibenthic Deep-Sea Megafauna of the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Abstract
In this study, we assessed the bioaccumulation of oil-derived and man-made pollutants in deep-sea epibenthic megafauna from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (or PAHs) were measured as representatives of oil and emission related pollution. Whereas, polychlorinated biphenyls (or PCBs) were measured as representatives of man-made industrial chemicals. Our results showed overall comparable levels for all pollutants in four separate epibenthic deep-sea megafauna, which included: Actinaria (sea anemones), Pennatulacea (sea pens), Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers), and Crinoidea (sea lilies). The analysis of PAH levels showed greater accumulation for high molecular weight compounds that are also highly lipophilic. However, the analysis of PCBs showed that the levels of two congeners (PCBs 101 and 138) were consistently higher than the rest of the PCBs measured. Our results shed light on a knowledge-gap that exists on assessing the extent to which anthropogenic pollutants may impact the deep-sea environment.
Subject
Deep-SeaPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
polychlorinated biphenyls
PAH
PCB
Environmental Toxicology
Deep-Ocean
Megafauna
Gulf of Mexico
Pollution
Oil
Bioaccumulation
Citation
Lawson, Michael Chase (2019). Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Epibenthic Deep-Sea Megafauna of the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /194453.