title: Nature, distribution and origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediments of Olbia harbor (Northern Sardinia, Italy).
abstract: The nature, origin and distribution of US EPA polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediments of Olbia harbor (North Sardinia, Italy) were investigated by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GCMS). PAH concentrations in the sediments (SigmaPAHs) ranged from 0.16 to 0.77 microg g(-1), indicating a homogeneously low level of pollution. A rather exceptional prevalence of low molecular weight PAHs was substantiated: nearly 80% of SigmaPAHs include naphthalene (15.19%) and phenanthrene (64.47%). Carcinogenic compounds were present in very low (BaP, BkF, BaA and DBA) or negligible (BbF and Inp) concentrations. As indicated by the Phen/Ant molar ratio, the main source of PAHs is petrogenic, probably due to oil spills from shipping. The low/high molecular weight ratio (ranging between 1.2 and 26) distinguishes the sediments of the tourist harbor from those of the commercial/industrial harbor. Moreover, a slight but meaningful pyrolytic contribution to pollution was found in the tourist harbor, which has the most polluted sediments in the whole harbor. Finally, good linear correlations were found between a selected PAH (Phen and Naph) and selected sums of PAHs (i.e. the total amount of the other 15 US EPA and the sum of low molecular weight PAHs).
authors.affiliation: P.M.P., Area Chimica A.S.L. n. 1, via Rockfeller 56-58, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furesi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Micera
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panzanelli
authors.forename: Paola Costantina
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Piu
authors.forename: Maria Itria
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Pilo
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spano
authors.forename: Gavino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanna
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons