Composition and source diagnostics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments from Elelenwo Creek, southern Nigeria

Abstract

The survey of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their relation to potential pollution sources was carried out in sediments from Elelenwo Creek, southern Nigeria. Total PAH concentrations varied from 4238.00 to 5490.84 Bg/g dry weights in sediments. The 2, 3-ring PAHs were not dominant in sediments (22.43%). Of the 2, 3-ring PAHs, the most abundant in the sediments was acenaphthylene. Four origin indices or concentration ratios of PAH isomer pairs were used to evaluate the suitability of these compounds as tracers to distinguish between the contamination arising from different sources. A critical appraisal of PAH indices, therefore, suggested that  combustion processes were the sources of PAH in the sediments. Relative PAH patterns in sediments were also evaluated using principal component analysis, and were found to correlate with the PAH patterns of the different potential contamination sources. This indicates that the PAHs, which are bioaccumulatable, possibly will impact on fauna.

Keywords: Creek, sediments, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, fauna, Nigeria