Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source Identification

The Caspian Sea has recently experienced great damages due to intense pressure from human activities, petroleum contaminant discharges from oil extraction and refining activities, and domestic and industrial wastewaters discharged into the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the sour...

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Main Authors: Rokhsareh Azimi, Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari, Samar Mortazavi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Water and Wastewater Consulting Engineers Research Development 2015-10-01
Series:آب و فاضلاب
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.wwjournal.ir/article_7917_6a590ff446087c9399d6536317f42ced.pdf
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author Rokhsareh Azimi
Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari
Samar Mortazavi
author_facet Rokhsareh Azimi
Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari
Samar Mortazavi
author_sort Rokhsareh Azimi
collection DOAJ
description The Caspian Sea has recently experienced great damages due to intense pressure from human activities, petroleum contaminant discharges from oil extraction and refining activities, and domestic and industrial wastewaters discharged into the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the sources and levels of one of the most dangerous oil pollutants ‒ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ‒ in the southern shores of the Caspian Sea (Anzali City). The data would be compared with standard PAHs concentrations in order to derive the information required for designing appropriate management measures. For the purposes of this study, nine surface sediment samples were collected from the experimental field and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze the samples for their contaminants. The total PAHs concentrations ranged from 736 to 9009 ng g-1d.w with an increasing trend along the east-west direction. Also, multiple indexes were used to detect the petrogenic origin of these compounds. Compared with sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of Florida (TELs/PELs), the levels for half the PAH compounds exceeded TELs. Moreover, naphthalene, fluorine, and phenanthrene concentrations exceeded the PELs in some stations, indicating likely acute toxic effects. However, comparison with sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of the United States (TELs/PELs) revealed that most of the compounds at the stations investigated were lower than ERLs. It was concluded that the quality guidelines of the Florida State are more conservative for protecting the biotic organisms in the region.
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spelling doaj.art-f491cfea65f34c969f8fef34917483152022-12-21T22:10:12ZengWater and Wastewater Consulting Engineers Research Developmentآب و فاضلاب1024-59362383-09052015-10-0126441507917Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source IdentificationRokhsareh Azimi0Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari1Samar Mortazavi2MSc Student, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, NoorAssist. Prof. of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, NoorInstructor, Faculty of Environment, Malayer University, MalayerThe Caspian Sea has recently experienced great damages due to intense pressure from human activities, petroleum contaminant discharges from oil extraction and refining activities, and domestic and industrial wastewaters discharged into the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the sources and levels of one of the most dangerous oil pollutants ‒ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ‒ in the southern shores of the Caspian Sea (Anzali City). The data would be compared with standard PAHs concentrations in order to derive the information required for designing appropriate management measures. For the purposes of this study, nine surface sediment samples were collected from the experimental field and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to analyze the samples for their contaminants. The total PAHs concentrations ranged from 736 to 9009 ng g-1d.w with an increasing trend along the east-west direction. Also, multiple indexes were used to detect the petrogenic origin of these compounds. Compared with sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of Florida (TELs/PELs), the levels for half the PAH compounds exceeded TELs. Moreover, naphthalene, fluorine, and phenanthrene concentrations exceeded the PELs in some stations, indicating likely acute toxic effects. However, comparison with sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) of the United States (TELs/PELs) revealed that most of the compounds at the stations investigated were lower than ERLs. It was concluded that the quality guidelines of the Florida State are more conservative for protecting the biotic organisms in the region.http://www.wwjournal.ir/article_7917_6a590ff446087c9399d6536317f42ced.pdfPAHsCaspian SeaAnzali CitySQGs
spellingShingle Rokhsareh Azimi
Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari
Samar Mortazavi
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source Identification
آب و فاضلاب
PAHs
Caspian Sea
Anzali City
SQGs
title Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source Identification
title_full Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source Identification
title_fullStr Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source Identification
title_full_unstemmed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source Identification
title_short Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments from the Southern Shores of the Caspian Sea, Anzali City: Toxicity Assessment and Source Identification
title_sort polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the southern shores of the caspian sea anzali city toxicity assessment and source identification
topic PAHs
Caspian Sea
Anzali City
SQGs
url http://www.wwjournal.ir/article_7917_6a590ff446087c9399d6536317f42ced.pdf
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