Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the aquatic environment: a multivariate analysis

Fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) included in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) priority pollutant list were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Surface water sampling was undertaken in the Paraguaçu Estuary (Bahia), northern Brazil. Total PAH concentrations varied from 0.0029 to 0.1079 ng/L in the surface waters (main rivers, tributaries) with a mean value of 0.0344 ng/L. Such concentrations can be taken as background values for the studied region. The PAH profi les were dominated by low molecular weight PAHs (twoand three-ring components) in surface water samples. It indicated that PAHs in surface water may have its origin from oil or sewage contamination (petrogenic input). The collected data showed that petrogenic input was predominant at almost all the stations investigated. Joil José Celino Dr. em Geologia Regional Laboratório de Estudos do Petróleo (LEPETRO) Núcleo de Estudos Ambientais (NEA), Instituto de Geociências da UFBA (IGEO/UFBA) E-mail: [email protected] Henry Xavier Corseuil Dr. em Engenharia Ambiental Laboratório de Remediação de Águas Subterrâneas (REMAS) Departamento de Engenharia Sanitária e Ambiental Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) E-mail: [email protected]