Content and Composition of Hydrocarbons in Water and Sediments in the Area of Kerch Strait

The results of studying the content and composition of aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the suspended particulate matter of the surface water layer and in the surface layer of bottom sediments in Kerch Strait in April and September 2019 are given in comparison with other areas of the Black Sea. In spite of the high concentrations of AHCs, in waters of the strait (110–160 μg/L) and in sandy sediments (16–63 μg/g) in particular, the composition of alkanes does not correspond to oil because of the rapid transformation of oil AHCs. The contamination of water and sediments in the strait by oil HCs results in the presence of naphthenic-aromatic compounds in alkanes, the domination of phytane over pristine, and the domination of pyrogenic and to a smaller rate of oil HCs in the composition of PAHs.