Investigation of the concentration, origin and health effects of PAHs in the Anzali wetland: The most important coastal freshwater wetland of Iran

Abstract

This study investigated the concentration of PAHs in 19 water samples, 34 sediment samples and 22 fish samples of Anzali Wetland, located in north of Iran. The average concentration of ∑PAHs in the wetland sediment was 89.19 μg/kg (8.28–806.64) and 78.31 ng/L (5.14–253.37) in the wetland water. Also, the average concentration of ∑PAHS in the muscle of the investigated fish in the wetland was 23 μg/kg (56.1 to 7.6). The source apportionment of PAHs in water and sediment considering isomeric ratios and statistical methods reveals the predominance of petrogenic origin of the compounds in water and pyrogenic origin in sediment. Overall, the level of contamination in fish is relatively low to moderate, considering ∑PAHs. The findings present clear evidence of low to moderate level of contamination in the wetland, the PAHs contamination however could cross their ecological thresholds in future unless control measures are taken to protect the wetland.