Compositions, sources, and ecological risk assessment of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments along the Suez Gulf, Egypt

Abstract

ABSTRACTPoly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in sediments collected from the Suez Gulf to evaluate the composition, sources, and ecological risk assessment. The highest concentration of total PAHs is recorded in sediments collected from Inlet of Suez Oil Petroleum Company (SOPC), followed by east of the Outlet of SOPC and Outlet of SOPC. While lower concentrations of total PAHs are detected in Suez Beach west of the Outlet of SOPC, from Inlet of Al-Nasr Petroleum Company (NPC). The ratio of ∑LPAHs/∑HPAHs was <1, revealing their pyrogenic sources. The concentration levels of PAHs in the current study were compared to the effect range low (ERL) and the effect range medium (ERM) values for all investigated stations was below the ERL except for Inlet of SOPC. This finding indicated that PAHs in the surface sediments of the studied area have adverse biological effects, which may cause severe adverse biological and acute effects. The high levels of BaP equivalent (BaPE) values east of the Outlet of SOPC indicate that PAHs have relatively high toxicity among all sites. The toxic equivalent (TEQcarc) values of the sediment samples varied from 0.1883 to 1449.286 ng/g TEQ, with the mean value of 144.295 ng/g TEQ; the higher total TEQcarc values were found at 50 m east of the Outlet of SOPC: 1449.286 ng/g TEQ.