Contamination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments of Khure-Musa Estuarine, Persian Gulf

Abstract

To assess the status of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination in the Khure Musa estuaries of Persian Gulf, samples of sediment were collected from five sampling sites and analyzed for PAHs by gas chromatography-spectrometry (GC-MS). The total concentrations of 15 PAHs varied from 703 to 3302 ng/g dry weight in surface sediments. Sediment samples are dominated by the presence of high molecular weight PAHs, especially four, five and six-ring PAHs. The samples of sediment were calculated using phenantherene/anthracene and fluranthene/pyrene ratios to determine the sources. The results of stud y suggested that the main sources of PAHs in sediment in the studied region were mixed pyrolitic and petrogenic imputs.