Aromatic hydrocarbons in the oil spilled from“the Nakhodka”and in the environmental samples including air, reached oil and sea water were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometric detection and high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorescence detection. Aromatic hydrocarbons determined in the oil were as follows: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, naphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benz [
a] anthracene, chrysene, benzo [
b] fluoranthene, benzo- [
k] fluoranthene, benzo [
a] pyrene, dibenz [
a, h] anthracene and benzo [
ghi] perylene.
Concentrations of benzene, toluene, xylenes and naphthalene in the air collected at contaminated seashores were much lower than their toxic levels. However, a model experiment suggested that their concentrations in the air might be higher just after the oil spill. Although the naphthalene concentration in the reached oil samples tended to decrease with time, pyrene and benzo [
a] pyrene concentrations were relatively constant. The decrease in naphthalene concentration in the reached oil samples was considered to be due to vaporization. Benzo [
a] pyrene concentrations in sea water tended to decrease with time.
The mutagenicity and DNA damage of the oil were assayed. The oil showed indirectacting mutagenicity in the
Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains in the presence of S9 mix. Production of p53 protein was enhanced in human FL cells after the treatment with the oil, indicating that the oil caused DNA damage.
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