POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CONTENT IN WATER AND SEDIMENTS IN THE MIDDLE PART OF SHATT AL-ARAB RIVER- SOUTHERN IRAQ

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are more carcinogenic and can remain in the water environment by the bioaccumulating in aquatic creatures like fish. The Shatt Al-Arab River begins north of Basrah City at the junction of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and travels for about 190 kilometers till it reaches the Arabian Gulf. The current study included measuring the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and sediments of three sites chosen from the middle part of the Shatt Al-Arab River (Al-Ashar, Al-Karmah, and Al-Deir), and some environmental factors were measured, which included (Water Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Electrical Conductivity, Salinity and Turbidity). The results of the current study showed that the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water ranged between 6.01-21.7 ng/L, as well as the concentrations in sediments were ranged between 14.6 – 52.5 ng/g D.W. On the other hand the highest concentrations of PAHs appeared during winter while the lowest concentrations appeared during summer. Furthermore, the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and sediments were affected by the sites, seasons and a number of studied environmental factors, where the temperature was the most important factor.