Comparative study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coral tissues and the ambient sediments from Kenting National Park, Taiwan

•PAH concentrations in Kenting coral reefs ranked minor in the worldwide comparison.•Isomeric ratios of PAHs suggested an important contribution of petrogenic sources.•PAHs have characteristic composition patterns which would be altered by the bio/accumulation mechanisms.•Higher levels of PAHs were found in coral tissues than in sediments (bioaccumulation).•Coral body burdens of PAHs were significantly correlated to adjacent sediments only at the areas with higher levels of PAHs.

Surface sediments and corals (Acropora sp. and Montipora sp.) from the coastline of Kenting were analyzed in 2009 and 2010 for content levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total PAH concentrations (t-PAH) in corasls (143-1715 ng g−1 dw) were significantly higher than in the ambient sediments (2-59 ng g−1 dw) indicating the bioaccumulation of PAHs in corals. The spatial and seasonal variation in PAH levels suggested that land-loaded contaminants may be the main source of PAHs in the Kenting coral reefs. Based on molecular indices, PAHs were substantially of petroleum origin. The major PAH components were phenanthrene, pyrene and fluorine, but PAH congeners in corals and sediments still have characteristic composition patterns which would be altered by the bio/accumulation mechanisms. Further study is essential to assess and understand the impacts of these chemicals on coral reefs.

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