Concentrations and fingerprints of PAHs and PCBs adsorbed onto marine plastic debris from the Indonesian Cilacap coast and theNorth Atlantic gyre

• Published in: Regional studies in marine science Vol. 29; p. 100611
• Main Authors: Bouhroum, R., Boulkamh, A., Asia, L., Lebarillier, S., Halle, A. Ter, Syakti, A.D., Doumenq, P., Malleret, L., Wong-Wah-chung, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2019; Elsevier
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Chemical Sciences; Indonesian Cilacap coast; Marine plastic debris; North Atlantic gyre; PAHs; PCBs; PCBs; PAHs; Marine plastic debris; North Atlantic gyre; Indonesian Cilacap coast
• ISSN: 2352-4855; 2352-4855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2019.100611

We investigated the contamination of marine plastic debris from the Indonesian Cilacap coast and the North Atlantic gyre by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The mean concentrations of 15 PAHs in gyre were 58 and 142 ng/g in polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) debris, respectively, while PE and polypropylene (PP) Indonesian debris exhibited an average content of 552 ng/g (mainly naphthalene). The mean concentration of 61 PCBs in open ocean debris was 12.2 ng/g, while coastal debris showed a worryingly high mean value of 1.4×104 ng/g, with the notable presence of CB6, 101 and 173. PE gyre debris contained mostly high molecular weight PAHs such as benzo(g,h,i)perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and low-chlorinated PCBs such as CB52, 77 and 105, whereas PET debris contained low molecular weight PAHs (mainly acenaphthylene and phenanthrene) and high-chlorinated PCBs such as CB204. [Display omitted] •First results on the pollution of plastic debris from Indonesian coast and North Atlantic gyre.•The cumulative PAHs and PCBs’ concentration is 91 ng/g in North Atlantic gyre debris.•Indonesian coastal debris are 150 times more polluted than North Atlantic gyre ones.•PAHs’ concentrations in PET from the North Atlantic gyre are slightly higher than in PE.•Fingerprints of PAHs and PCBs in marine plastic contrasted according to the microplastic source.