oa Composition and origins of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the coastal sediments of Qatar

The spatial distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)was investigated in sediments from 16 sites from the east coast of the Arabian Gulf of Qatar. Sixteen US-EPA priority PAHs and their alkylated homolog were determined. The highest PAHs concentrations were found in sediments inside fishing Harbors as well as at offshore locations close to an oil fields. Most inshore coastal locations showed low PAHs concentrations (95.4- 27.88 ng.g-1). Concentrations of PAHs in Qatar coastal sediments indicated that the area has low contaminate concentrations (<100 ng/g-1) except inside the fishing Harbor and offshore where moderate levels of pollution were detected (100=SPAHs=1000 ng.g-1). The spatial distribution of the concentrations of 16 parent PAHs and their alkyl homologs are presented and the possible sources of the PAHs have been elucidated using diagnostic ratios. Contaminant patterns and diagnostic ratios indicated that the PAHs were mainly from petrogenic sources, with higher contributions of pyrogenic PAHs near industrialized and urban areas.