This study examines the ability of some marine algae (Padina pavonica and Hypnea musciformis) on accumulating polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS). The samples were collected from five sites on the Syrian coast during 2011.
The study revealed t
hat the studied algae were able to accumulate PAHs. Their concentrations in Padina pavonica ranged from 21.53 to 54.76 ng/g dw, While in Hypenea they ranged from 43.59 to 24.96. ng/g dw.
The Padina Pavonica of DIRASAT site accumulated the largest amount of PAHs compounds, while the highest concentrations of these compounds in Hypenea Musciformis were observed in the BISTAN AL-BASHA site. Fluorine and phenanthrene recorded high concentration in the studied algae in comparison with the rest of the aromatic compounds containing three aromatic rings, and the total concentration of the compounds with three rings was higher than that in those compounds with four or five aromatic rings.
The logarithm bioconcentration factors (log BCF) of the aromatic compounds with three aromatic rings was close to the logarithm octanol/water partitioning coefficients (log Kow ), unlike the compounds with higher rings, where log BCF was obviously less than that in the corresponding log Kow.
