Critical Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Ring Size Distribution in Marshy Soils and Sediments in Warri City and Its Environs, Southern Nigeria

This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author IEA designed and supervised the study and wrote the protocol. Author AVB carried out and managed the analyses of the study. Authors IEA and AVB managed the literature searches while author OEO performed the statistical analyses. Authors IEA and OEO wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. ABSTRACT This study was carried out to analyze the ring size distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in marshy soils and sediment samples in Warri City, Southern Nigeria. The samples were collected during dry and rainy seasons from four locations within Warri and a control location in Agbarho, 20km away. Levels of 16 priority PAHs listed in United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) were determined using Gas Chromatography coupled with Flame Ionization detector (GC-FID). This study was carried from January to March and June to August, representing the dry and wet seasons respectively. It was observed that PAHs concentration was generally higher in dry than rainy seasons for soil and sediment samples. Furthermore, ring size analysis revealed that for soils, two to three-ringed as well as four-ringed PAHs were more predominant in Ugboroke location, five-ringed PAHs in Okotie and six-ringed PAHs in Ogunu location. Overall, five-ringed PAHs were more predominant in Okotie location in the dry season. However, for sediments, two to three-ringed as well as four-ringed PAHs were more predominant in Okotie location, five-ringed PAHs in Ogunu and six-ringed PAHs in Ugboroke location. Overall, two to three-ringed PAHs were more predominant in Okotie location in the dry season for sediment samples.