Biomonitoring potentials of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by higher plants from an oil exploration site, Nigeria.

Higher plants sampled from a moderately polluted exploration site were analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine the occurrence and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The concentrations of the sum of 28 target PAHs (designated as Σ(28)PAH) in the leaves of higher plant samples ranged from 365 to 2870 μg/kg with an average of 1430 μg/kg. The majority of the target compounds were detected except 9,10-diphenyl anthracene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, which were below the detection limits in most plant samples. In addition, the concentrations of the 2- and 3-ring PAHs, especially naphthalene and its alkylated derivatives, were generally higher than the 4-, 5- and 6-ring PAHs. Based on the results obtained in the present study, higher plants, especially non-woody annual and perennial plants could serve as good phytoremediators for a PAHs polluted sites.