Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from leachates of waterpipe tobacco wastes on Peronia peronii species from the Persian Gulf region

This study examines the bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Peronia peronii (as the bio-indicator organism) exposed to the leachate resulting from fruit-flavored and traditional burnt tobacco wastes. The ƩPAHs concentrations in the muscle samples of P. Peronii of exposed group I (organisms exposed to the leachate resulting from fruit-flavored waterpipe tobacco wastes) and exposed group II (organisms exposed to the leachate resulting from traditional waterpipe tobacco wastes) and control group (exposed to natural seawater) were 37.49 ± 12.9, 9.32 ± 3.8, and 3.89 ± 1.9 ng/g, respectively. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between the mean values of all ƩPAHs compounds in the three groups (group I, group II, and control). The mean Log BAFs in P. Peronii exposed to fruit-flavored and traditional tobacco waste leachates were ranged from 1.70 to 3.61 and 2.49 to 3.07, respectively. The mean Log BAFs of none of the PAHs compounds did not exceed 3.7 (the limit set as “bio-accumulative”) in none of the leachates (fruit-flavored or traditional). In the organisms exposed to the leachates resulting from fruit-flavored tobacco waste, Log BAFs of Benzo[b] fluoranthene (BbF), benzo(a)anthracene (BaA), and chrysene (Chr) lay within the range of 3.3–3.7 (“potentially bio-accumulative”). However, in the organisms exposed to the leachates resulting from traditional tobacco waste, the mean Log BAFs of all compounds did not reach even 3.3. The findings of our study indicate that leachates from tobacco waste, pose significant environmental and health hazards. Considering the prevalence of tobacco smoking, suitable strategies should be employed for management of these hazardous wastes to protect the environmental health.