Petroleum hydrocarbons in intertidal ecosystem along the Bombay coast

Abstract

Petroleum hydrocarbon content in intertidal sediment and water samples collected at Madh, Worli and Colaba were in the ranges of 5.1-7, 5.8-7.4, 2.9-10.3 mu g.g(-1), wet wt and N.D.-18.5, N.D.-93.5, N.D.-5.8 mu g.l(-1) respectively. The concentrations in sediment were negligible and uniform. The contamination was less in seawater during September 1991 while high levels of 57.4 and 93.5 mu g.l(-1) were observed in seawater samples from Worli during December 1990 and May 1991 respectively. The high level of petroleum hydrocarbons (153.8 mu g.l(-1)) in water sample collected near an outfall indicated that the intertidal ecosystem of Worli might be contaminated by the effluent discharges from the onshore industrial unit.