Due to their toxic properties and their carcinogenic potential, petrogenic
PAHs are routinely monitored in environmental surveys and following accidental
events such as oil spills, boat accidents, and accidental discharges. Measurements of
PAH concentrations in water and sediment can give an estimation of their abundance,
but this does not reveal the real environmental risk. Bioaccumulation in biota and
further biological effects of these compounds on various organisms needs to be
evaluated to establish the risk posed to the aquatic environment by their presence. In
this chapter, monitoring activities of petrogenic PAHs in the aquatic environment are
described, including specific cases as examples. Due to the increased knowledge and
technological improvements in recent years, new monitoring strategies are also
proposed.
Keywords: Bioaccumulation, Biomarkers, Biomonitoring, Invertebrates,
Monitoring, PAHs, Sources of contamination, Vertebrates.
