Is Fucus a suitable biomonitoring organism for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination? A study from the Faroe Islands

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2024-04, Vol.31 (18), p.26699-26712
• Main Authors: Knøfler, Ida Huusmann, Andersson, Kirstine Evald, Becker, Richard Leonard, Christiansen, Sigurd, Nielsen, Nikoline J., Christensen, Jan H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetonitrile; Algae; Alkylation; Aquatic Pollution; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biological Monitoring; Biomonitoring; Contamination; Earth and Environmental Science; Economic growth; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental science; Fucus; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; GDP; Gross Domestic Product; Harbors; Hexanes; High tide; Islands; Organisms; Pollutants; Pollution; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Research Article; Seaweed - chemistry; Seaweeds; Waste Water Technology; Water exchange; Water Management; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32658-7

To evaluate seaweed as a biomonitoring organism, Fucus was sampled in the Faroe Islands. Nineteen PAHs, including the EPA 16, and four groups of alkylated PAHs were quantified using GC–MS analysis of extracts obtained using a modified QuEchERS method with ultrasonication in acetonitrile, back-extraction into hexane, and Florisil® cleanup. Samples from the harbor of Tórshavn collected at high tide were the most polluted with PAH concentrations between 1.3 × 10 2 and 1.7 × 10 2  ng/g wet weight. All samples contained a factor 10 higher concentrations of alkylated PAHs compared to their parent compounds. These results suggest that Fucus might be suitable as a biomonitoring organism for PAH pollution. Differences between samples collected in close proximity and on different days were observed (same range of RSD 14–120% and 60–102%, respectively), suggesting that water exchange, tide levels, and direct exposure to surface diesel pollution have a strong influence on pollutant uptake in Fucus . The findings stress the need for further evaluation of the sampling strategy.