Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine organisms from the Gulf of Naples, Tyrrhenian Sea

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined by an HPLC method with fluorescence detection in bivalves (Mitylus galloprovincialis), cephalopods (Todarodes sagittatus), crustaceans (Aristeus antennatus), and fish (Mullus surmeletus, Scomber scombrus, Micromesistius poutassou, and Merluccius merluccius) caught in the Gulf of Naples (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benz(a) anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b) fluoranthene, and benzo(k) fluoranthene were detected, at different concentrations, in all of the examined marine organisms, whereas benzo(a) pyrene, dibenz(a, h) anthracene, benzo(g, h, i) perylene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd) pyrene were found only in Mediterranean mussels. Of mussels collected in winter 71.43% exceeded the maximum residual levels (MRL) fixed for the benzo(a) pyrene in European Regulation 208/2005/EC, whereas all samples collected in summer reported values lower than this limit. In comparison to the other marine organisms, the mussels showed the highest PAH concentrations (p < 0.01). Fish showed total PAH levels lower than those of cephalopods and, in particular, European hake showed the lowest values (6.06 ng/g of fresh weight).