Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Water from the Menderes River, Turkey

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aquatic media of Turkey: A systematic review of cancer and ecological risk

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have gathered worldwide attention due to their carcinogenicity and toxicity. This paper aims to review and extend current knowledge on PAHs in aquatic environments in Turkey, where expansion of the marine industry has caused contamination concerns. To assess cancer and ecological risks associated with PAHs, we systematically reviewed 39 research articles. Mean measured concentrations of total PAHs ranged from 61 to 249,900 ng L^-1 in surface waters, 1 to 209,400 ng g^-1 in sediments, and 4 to 55,000 ng g^-1 in organisms. Estimated cancer risks from concentrations in organisms were higher than those from surface waters and sediments. Negative ecosystem impacts of petrogenic PAHs were estimated to be larger than those of pyrogenic origin, despite the predominance of the latter. Overall, the Marmara, Aegean, and Black seas are highly-polluted and need remedial action, while further study is needed to confirm the status of other water bodies.

Environmental occurrence, spatial distribution, and source identification of PAHs in surface and groundwater samples of Abou Ali River-North Lebanon

This paper assesses the concentrations, spatial distribution, compositional patterns, and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the dissolved aqueous phase along the Abou Ali River course. The 16 priority PAHs, listed by the USEPA, were investigated in surface- and groundwater samples for 2 years starting August 2015 and ending in March 2017. Statistical analysis was done by using the ANOVA test at p < 0.05. The spatial distribution analysis and illustration were done using the ARC GIS software. The total PAHs concentration in surface and groundwater samples varied between not detected to 15.162 ng mL^-1 and not detected to 0.635 ng mL^-1, respectively. The highest concentration of PAHs in surface water was observed at site S16, downstream of the river. However, the absence of PAHs was noticed at sites S1 and S2 of the upstream. The contamination levels of PAHs were found to be high in surface water samples, and low in groundwater samples. The 5- and 6-ring PAHs were the most abundant species among others in surface water samples, whereas the 3-ring PAHs were the most abundant in groundwater. Pyrogenic inputs deriving from fuel combustion, incineration, and miscellaneous burning were found to be the main PAH sources in surface and groundwater without ignoring the contribution of petrogenic inputs in some areas.

Seasonal Distribution, Source Identification, and Toxicological Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sediments from Wadi El Bey Watershed in Tunisia

Surface sediments were collected from the Watershed of Wadi El Bey in Tunisia to evaluate the degree of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination. Sediments were collected during different seasons in 14 sites that received wastes from domestic effluent, industrial discharge, and agricultural drainage wastes. Twenty-six individual PAHs were analyzed. The total PAH contents (Σ PAHs) in surface sediments showed wide variability, ranging from 6.89 ± 0.05 to 340 ± 0.1 ng g^-1. The 4-, 5-, and 6-ring compounds were the most abundant PAHs detected at the majority of sites. Diagnostic concentration ratios between pairs of PAHs and molecular indices, calculated with the purpose of drawing information about pollution sources, indicated that PAHs were of both petrogenic and pyrolytic origins. Toxic contaminants concentrations were determined according to the numerical effect-based sediment quality guidelines (SQGs). PAH levels did not exceed the SQGs, indicating that PAHs seem to pose low and occasional toxicity risks. Total carcinogenicity and mutagenicity (TEQ_BaP and MEQ_BaP) ranged from 0.08 to 65 ng and from 0.02 to 135.0 ng g^-1 of dry weight, respectively. Among the seven carcinogenic PAHs, BaP accounted for the majority of the potency and could potentially be used as a unique indicator of PAH toxicity. This study provides a baseline to promote environmental protection programs and pollution monitoring/control in Watershed and coastal areas.