Distribution patterns of PAHs in different tissues of annulated sea snake (Hydrophis cyanocinctus) and short sea snake (Lapemis curtus) from the Hara Protected Area on the North Coast of the Persian Gulf, Iran

• 22 PAHs levels were determined in the tissues of Hydrophis cyanocinctus and Lapemis curtus.
• LMW-PAHs had the highest levels in skin, while HMW-PAHs were highest in the kidney.
• H. cyanocinctus revealed to be significantly more contaminated than L. curtus.
• Low molecular weight PAHs predominated, accounting for 81 percent of the total PAHs.

The levels of 22 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in the skin, liver, kidney and muscle tissues of annulated sea snake (Hydrophis cyanocinctus), and short sea snake (Lapemis curtus) collected from the Hara Protected Area, Persian Gulf during October 2010. Low molecular weight (≤3-rings) had the highest levels in skin, while high molecular weight (≥4-rings) was highest in the kidney. The lowest levels of analyzed PAHs were found in muscle in the both species. H. cyanocinctus (59.37 ng g−1 dw) revealed to be significantly more contaminated than L. curtus (50.51 ng g−1 dw). Naphtalene was the PAH most frequently detected and at the highest level in the different tissues both species. Di- and tri-cyclic PAHs were predominant in both species suggesting petrogenic origin rather than pyrogenic sources of PAHs. The present study represents the first data of contamination by PAHs in sea snake from the Persian Gulf.