Physical Oceanography Physical Oceanography 1573-160X 20260403 Experimental and field research Research Article Organic Matter and Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Bottom Sediments of Coastal Waters of the Southern Kamchatka Peninsula https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1160-4139 GWV-4575-2022 4535-0790 Zaripova K. M.
Russian Federation
zaripova_km@ibss-ras.ru https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3460-9650 L-7895-2017 5962-7697 Gurov K. I.
Russian Federation
gurovki@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9137-087X X-8524-2019 3786-7334 Tikhonova E. A.
Russian Federation
tihonoval@mail.ru https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1283-4593 X-4793-2019 3114-7955 Soloveva O. V.
Russian Federation
kozl_ya_oly@mail.ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences Sevastopol Russia Marine Hydrophysical Institute of RAS Sevastopol Russia 31 08 2026 33 4 584 597 24 02 2026 10 03 2026 20 05 2026 Copyright ©; 2026, K. M. Zaripova, K. I. Gurov, E. A. Tikhonova, O. V. Soloveva 2026 K. M. Zaripova, K. I. Gurov, E. A. Tikhonova, O. V. Soloveva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ https://physical-oceanography.ru/repository/issues/2026/04/03/

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to assess the content and spatial distribution of organic matter and petroleum hydrocarbons in the surface layer of bottom sediments in the coastal waters of the southern Kamchatka Peninsula depending on the sediment grain-size composition and the degree of coastal urbanization.

Methods and Results. The surface (0–3 cm) sediment samples were collected by a box corer aboard the R/V Professor Multanovskiy in August–September 2023. The following parameters were determined: grain-size composition – by a combined sieve method, loss on ignition – according to GOST 23740-2016, organic carbon (Corg) content – by coulometric analysis, and concentrations of chloroform-extractable substances and petroleum hydrocarbons – by gravimetric and IR spectrometry. The sediments consisted predominantly of silt-sand mixtures, with a higher silt content in the isolated bays. The content of Corg ranged from 0.02 to 3.56% and loss on ignition ranged from 0.86 to 9.87% with a strong correlation between the indices (r = 0.91). The concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons and chloroform-extractable substances ranged from 0.3 to 93 and 2 to 185 mg/100 g respectively, with their maxima being observed in Avacha Bay. The minimum concentrations (0.3–3.2 mg/100 g for petroleum hydrocarbons and 2–8 mg/100 g for chloroform-extractable substances) were noted in sandy sediments in the Khalaktyrsky Beach area, as well as in silt sediments of Vilyuchinskaya Bay. The values of both of petroleum hydrocarbons and chloroform-extractable substances positively correlated with Corg and loss on ignition. The linear regression model demonstrated that loss on ignition and the urbanization indicator jointly explained about 80% of the variation in ln(PHC).

Conclusions. The obtained results show that the organic matter content and the grain-size composition of sediments are the key factors controlling the accumulation of petroleum hydrocarbons, while coastal urbanization enhances the hydrocarbon load. Signs of chronic pollution are characteristic of Avacha Bay and several shallow bays.

 bottom sediments grain-size composition organic matter organic carbon petroleum hydrocarbons marine pollution urbanization Kamchatka Peninsula Avacha Bay The study was carried out within the framework of the RSF project No. 25-27-00613 "Organic matter of bottom sediments of coastal water areas with different degrees of coastal urbanisation (Crimea Peninsula, Black Sea, Kamchatka Peninsula, Pacific Ocean, and Sea of Okhotsk)". The authors are grateful to I.A. Zabegaev for his assistance with the analysis of the bottom sediment samples for organic carbon content.

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