Distribution Trends and Source Diagnosis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Sediments of Imiringi River

The environmental menace caused by hydrocarbon releasing activities on water bodies have remained a cause for great concern. Such are accompanied the release of highly toxic and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which easily biomagnified across food chain, ultimately aggravating adverse health conditions in human. This study was aimed at identifying most important contributors PAHs sediments Imiringi river. Owing to oil facilities among other anthropogenic influences, inundated with pollutants settle within river bed sediments, thereby, playing an role redistribution contaminants. applied diagnostic ratios (Phenanthrene/Anthracene, Fluorene/Fluorene + Pyrene, Fluoranthene/Fluoranthene pyrogenic index total index) revealed presence mixed source (pyrogenic petrogenic). PAH concentrations ranged from <0.01 3,965.4 µg/kg detected compounds exceeding regulatory limits. high molecular mass (4 - 6 ring HPAHs) represents primary showing 94.29% distribution, while low (2 3 LPAHs) recorded trace about 5.71% PAHs. Principal component analysis (PCA) Indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene Dibenz(a,h)anthracene as principal components environment. In addition, Pearson correlation showed Benzo(k)fluoranthene Benzo(b)fluoranthene positively correlating species sediment. Overall, midstream section relatively more polluted than up down-river locations. Most notably, HPAHs higher LPAHs. may be due intensive agricultural practices such bush incineration, waste dumps along bank remain tangible contributors. On hand, amounts observed petrogenic some locations possibly spill-over’s bunkering infiltrations nearby installations.