T-PAH contamination in Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Lamarck, 1819) at various stations of the Turkish Straits System.

Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Turkish Straits Systems were analyzed for sixteen parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contents by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This marine organism was selected because of its multitude, wide distribution, being bio indicator for the pollution and consumption by humans. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 1.2 to 589 µg g(-1) in Istanbul Strait, 0.94-36.4 µg g(-1) in Marmara Sea and 0.4-47.9 µg g(-1) in Çanakkale Strait during the samplings. According to the results Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits are more polluted than the Marmara Sea.