Evaluation of Total Hydrocarbons Levels and Traces Metals in Water and Sediment from Main Outfall Drain in Al-Nassiriya City/Southern Iraq

Afrah A Maktoof,Basim Y Alkhafaji,Zahraa Z Al-Janabi

doi:10.4236/nr.2014.513068

Afrah A Maktoof, Basim Y Alkhafaji + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/nr.2014.513068

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Journal: Natural Resources	Publication Date: Jan 1, 2014
Citations: 12	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Technology

Abstract

This study was conducted during Dec2011-Nov2012 on three stations located in the south sector of Main Outfall Drain (MOD) River. Station 1 was near Al-Holandee Bridge which was the general carriage way in the center of Al-Nassiriya city, station 2 was 20 km far from the first station, while station 3 was in the beginning of the new branch. This study reveals the Seasonal Variation of Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) in both surface waters, sediment and it is related with trace metals nickel and vanadium in water (dissolved, particulate) and sediment (residual and exchangeable) phases. Also, the study shows the relationships between the concentration of Ni and V with Total Organic Carbon (TOC%) in the sediment.

Highlights

The extraction and usage of petroleum products as energy sources around the world have led to a wide spread of pollution in the biosphere
The annual concentrations of (TPHs) in the particulate phase of water were higher in station 1 (Table 4)
Analytical results revealed that station 1 had the highest concentration of Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and trace metals in both water and sediments

Summary

Introduction

The extraction and usage of petroleum products as energy sources around the world have led to a wide spread of pollution in the biosphere. About 6 - 10 million barrels of crude oil enter the aquatic environment yearly [1]. The control of such pollution problems in the aquatic environment is very difficult because of the large number of input sources and their geographic dispersions. Hydrocarbons in the aquatic environment have several sources which can be classified either as anthropogenic or as biogenic. Major sources of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) enter into water by many routes of various activities such as oil refineries, off shore oil production, transportation and tanker accident [5]. River runoff, urban runoff, municipal wastes and inland wastes are found significant inputs of petroleum hydrocarbons and its derivatives entering the environment

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