Concentration and distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in harbour dredging sediments: A pilot study using a statistical approach for a more efficient characterisation and management

The Italian guidelines concerning the dumping of dredging materials implies chemical, physical and microbiological characterisation of dumping sedimen ts collected through a specific sampling strategy. POP's such as PCB's and organochlorine pesticides, are considered as priority pollutants in all the International Conventions for the protection of the marine environment, in consequence of their persistence, toxicity and bioaccumulation capacity. I n the present article the concentrations and distribution of PCB's and orga nochlorine pesticides in dredging sediments of Piombino harbour (northern T hyrrenian sea) were investigates. The results showed high POP's concentrati ons in all the studied areas. The maximum values were: 3.94 mg kg(-1) dry w eight for PCB's (IUPAC Nos. 28; 52; 101, 118; 137; 153; 180; 209); 2.04 mg kg(-1) d.w. for HCH's (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-hexachlorocyclohexan e isomers); 0.28 mg kg(-1) d.w. for DD's (DDT + DDE + DDD). Subsequently, t he data related to each pollutant were treated with statistical tests, in o rder to verify how well the sampling strategy is able to represent the dist ribution of contaminants in the dredging area. Finally, management strategi es were derived for the studied dredging sediments.