Simulating the fate of selected PAHs in Saronikos Gulf, Eastern Mediterranean, using a far-field water-quality model.

The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution of selected Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and predict their fate in the marine area of Saronikos Gulf. A three-dimensional model (Delft3D-FLOW) was used to simulate sea circulation and hydrographic variables (salinity, temperature), for a 365-day simulation time period (year 2018). A water-quality model (Delft3D-WAQ), set at the same grid as the circulation model, was used to model biogeochemical variables and as a next step, simulate the occurrence and distribution of selected PAHs in the water column. The main pathways for PAHs entering the marine environment of Saronikos have been determined and set as discharges in the modelling area. The dispersion and transformation of PAHs has been simulated, and the predicted concentrations have been compared with published observational studies. The main processes determining the fate of target compounds have been evaluated regarding their contribution to the annual mass balances.