The Study of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Contamination in Sediments of Sisangan Coastal Sediments in South Caspian Sea

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) is the most important environmental pollutants which originated from various sources. They are stable in seawater and especially in sediments and their degradation occur slowly. Sixteen numbers of this pollutant are introduced by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as serious carcinogen compounds. In this study, the contents of 16 PAHs compounds were determined in the sediments of Sisanagan coastal sediments (South Caspian Sea).

The sampling was performed by Van Veen grab from 12 sites and 4 transect of the study area. Determination of PAHs (16 components) was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

The results showed that the total concentration of PAHs varied between 94.55- 336.33 ng/g dry weight of sediments. Maximum individual concentration of PAHs was 132, 97.5 ng g-1 belonged to banzo(b) flouranthene and flouranthene and  Benzo[k]fluoranthene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracen, banzo(g,h.i)perylen, acenaphtylen, banzo (a) pyren and indino were not detected in all of the sampling sites. The total organic matters (TOM) of sampling sites were different from 1.65 to 9.95%.

Comparison of PAHs concentrations in the studied sediments with other places in the world showed (PAHs) pollutions of studied sediments are medium to low and results also showed that PAHs pollutants in this area have both pyrogenic (Fuel) and petrogenic sources. Comparing the values obtained in this area with standard PAHs (ISQGs, NOAA) indicated contaminated sediments are not harmful effect on the creatures.