Significance of Bacteria in Marine Waters for the Distribution of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants

Abstract

Pelagic bacteria represent the potentially most predominant biological, particulate sorptive surface for hydrophobic organic contaminant (HOC) and constitute a food source for the microheterotrophic food web, which conceivably continues up to pelagic fish. However, no data have been reported on HOCs in bacteria. Therefore, this fraction (0.2−2 μm) was isolated with a new technique in situ in the Baltic Sea followed by HOC analysis (HRGC-MS). Results show bacterial concentrations (PAHs and PCBs) in the same order as or higher than the larger particulate fraction (2−90 μm), which clearly illustrates the significance of heterotrophes for the distribution and dynamics of HOCs in marine waters.