Seasonal and Temporal Influence on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Red Sea Coastal Water, Egypt

Mohamed El-Naggar, Said Hanafy, Alaa M. Younis, Mahmoud A. Ghandour and Abdel-Aziz Y. El-Sayed
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Mohamed El-Naggar: Pure and Applied Chemistry Group, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
Said Hanafy: Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency—Assiut Branch, Assiut 71764, Egypt
Alaa M. Younis: Department of Aquatic Environment, Faculty of Fish Resources, Suez University, Suez 43518, Egypt
Mahmoud A. Ghandour: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
Abdel-Aziz Y. El-Sayed: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University—Assiut Branch, Assiut 71524, Egypt

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 21, 1-18

Abstract: This study investigated seasonal variation, spatial distribution, sources, composition and potential ecological risks of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Red Sea coastal water. Surface seawater samples were collected at fourteen different locations. The sum of 16 PAHs concentrations in Red Sea showed clear variation between seasons, ranged from 1.08–6.10, 0.79–50.86, 1.37–54.47 and 0.21–7.18 μg/L in summer, autumn, winter, and spring respectively. PAHs levels in Red Sea coastal waters were relatively high at certain sites during autumn and winter seasons. They could be classified as highly polluted by PAHs contaminants (>10 μg/L). According to the diagnostic ratios measured, the majority of PAHs in this study originated from pyrogenic sources, while minor amounts originated from petrogenic sources. Four rings PAHs accounted for more than 64% of the total PAHs studied. PAHs pose a high ecological risk along the period of study, according to the ecological risk assessment by Risk quotients (RQNCs and RQMPCs).

Keywords: persistent organic contaminants; PAHs pollution; diagnostic ratio; ecological risk assessment; red sea (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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