Hydrocarbon contamination characteristic of the Azov Sea ecosystem within the boundaries of the licensed site of LLC "NK "Priazovneft"
The article presents the dynamics of water and bottom sediments pollution by petroleum products and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) at the licensed site of LLC «NK «Priazovneft» in the south-eastern area of the Azov Sea in the period of 2005-2014. The results of studies conducted in 2014 served the basis for demonstrating the distribution of petroleum products in the area mentioned above. The characteristic of hydrocarbons origin found in the ecosystem elements of the Azov Sea area under study is given. Distribution of paraffin hydrocarbons in the water column was characterized by the predominance of low-molecular C <sub>15</sub>-C <sub>18</sub> homologous compounds or even-numbered n-paraffins (C <sub>16</sub>-C <sub>28</sub>); in the bottom sediments C <sub>17</sub>, C <sub>19</sub> and high molecular odd-numbered n-alkanes (C <sub>27</sub>, C <sub>29</sub>, C <sub>31</sub>) predominated. In water PAH were by Naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene predominated in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), while fluoranthene and phenanthrene were observed in bottom sediments.