Determination of PAHs in Surface Water of Al-Dalmaj Marsh, Al-Diwaniya Province, Iraq

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) occurs in an environment as organic pollutants, these pollutants are resulting from anthropogenic and natural pyrolysis of organic compounds during fossil fuel utilization, forest fires, and chemical manufacture. Sixteen of these compounds have been classified as human carcinogens. In this study five sampling sites have been selected randomly, all these sites locate in Al-Dalmaj marsh in Al-Diwaniya province. Thirteen compounds of PAHs compounds are measured using solid phase extraction method to extract the PAHs compounds from water samples. The analysis for water samples performed by GC technique. The results show variation from site to site in concentrations and in type of pollutants abundant. Site four shows highest pollution with nine compounds while site three shows the lowest pollution with four compounds. The maximum pollution among all measured compounds was 14.903 mg/L for Fluorene in site Four while the minimum one was 0.027 mg/L for Acenaphthylene in site three.

Keywords: Surface waters pollution, PAHs, Solid phase extraction, Al-Dalmaj marsh, Al-Diwaniya province.