title: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coastal sediments from urban and industrial areas of Asaluyeh Harbor, Iran: distribution, potential source and ecological risk assessment.
abstract: The distribution and toxicity levels of 16 EPA priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the sediments of Asaluyeh shore, Iran were investigated. The total concentrations of the PAHs in surface sediments ranged from 1,054 to 17,448 ng/g dry weights with a mean concentration of 8,067 ng/g. The spatial distribution of PAHs showed that PAH levels are much higher in the industrial areas in comparison with urban areas. Based on diagnostic ratios, pyrogenic activities were dominant sources of PAHs pollution in sediments comparing petroleum sources. The toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQ Carc) of PAHs ranged from 172 to 2,235 ng TEQ/g with mean value of 997.9. Toxicity levels were evaluated using sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and toxic equivalent factors. Samples were collected from industrial and urban stations in Asaluyeh shores. According to SQGs, ΣPAHs concentrations in sediments of urban areas were below the ERL (effects range low), but the industrial samples had ΣPAHs concentrations between ERL and ERM (effects range median). Furthermore, ΣHPAHs (heavy PAHs) and some individual PAHs in some industrial stations exceeded ERM, indicating adverse ecological risk effects frequently occur. Findings demonstrate that the surface sediment from Asaluyeh shore is highly to very highly contaminated with PAHs.
authors.affiliation: The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raeisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arfaeinia
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seifi
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirzad-Siboni
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
authors.forename: Mozhgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keshtkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Iran; Systems Environmental Health, Oil, Gas and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; and The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Boostan 19 Alley, Imam Khomeini Street, Bushehr 7514763448, Iran E-mail: s.dobaradaran@bpums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dobaradaran
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007492:Iran; D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical