Natural and anthropogenic sources of extractable organic matter in sediments from the coastal zone of the Arabian Gulf in Saudi Arabia

Surface sediment samples from the Arabian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia were collected by Van Veen grab sampler to identify characteristics, distribution, and levels discriminate between natural anthropogenic sources total extractable organic matter (TEOM). The dried sieved sediments extracted with a dichloromethane/methanol mixture for analysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. TEOM included n-alkanes (353.9 ± 283.8 ng.g−1), n-alkanols (283.2 296.1 fatty acid methyl esters (245.2 353.7 hopanes (100.7 158.2 steranes (58.5 96.3 triterpenoids (18.9 21.1 steroids (15.3 17.0 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (0.48 1.19 as well an unresolved complex (UCM = 1633 3151 ng.g−1) petrochemicals (343.1 424.2 ng.g−1). major these compound groups (petroleum petrochemical) (lipids higher plants, marine material, microbiota) inputs. Anthropogenic contaminants petroleum products ranged 46.6 85.6% TEOM, whereas varied 10.7 40.6%. biogenic influx terrestrial vegetation 5.7 19.3%, biotic 11.1 37.5%. continuous accumulation will ultimately affect critical habitats this coastal region. This provides basis further studies understand human developmental activities on input delivery, deposition processes, biogeochemical alteration in zones Gulf. Such are important sustainable development protection key regional habitats.