Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Waters of the Taganrog and Temryuk Bays

Based on the long-term data from the state marine environmental monitoring system, comparison of the parameters of the long-term regime of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in the water of the Taganrog and Temryuk bays of the Sea of Azov during 1993–2022 was carried out. It was found that the long-term average level of TPH in the Taganrog Bay is spatially homogeneous and does not differ from that in the mouth area of the Don River. In the Temryuk Bay, the most polluted water was detected in the mouth areas of the Kuban River and the approach channel of the port of Temryuk, while the least polluted water was found at the offing at some distance from the coast. In this bay, the greatest contrast in TPH between the mouth area and the offing was observed during the river flood in June–August. In the Taganrog Bay, in addition to the Don runoff, the TPH sources in the bay itself are of great importance. They are probably associated with unintended leakage of fuel and lubricants from ships due to the busy navigation in the bay.