Distribution and origin of poly cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from an urban river basin at the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, Brazil

• Published in: 环境科学学报（英文版） Vol. 23; no. 6; pp. 904 - 911
• Main Authors: Natalicio Ferreira Leite, Patricio Peralta-Zamora, Marco Tadeu Grassi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute de Tecnologia do Paraná (TECPAR), 81350-010 Curitiba, Brazil%Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal do Parand (UFPR), C.P. 19081, 81531-990 Curitiba, Brazil 2011
• Subjects: river sediment; PAHs; isomeric ratio; trace level analysis; Iguacu River Basin
• ISSN: 1001-0742
• DOI: 10.1016/S1001-0742(10)60496-2

X524; The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in surface sediment samples from nine sites located at the Iguacu River Basin in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba, Brazil to evaluate their distribution and sources. The total concentration of the PAHs was greater for sediments from highly urbanized areas, while the sediments from the Iraí Environmental Protection Area (Iraí EPA) showed significantly low concentrations. The sediments from the Iguacu and Barigui rivers were classified as highly contaminated, while those from the Cercado and Curralinho rivers were classified as moderately contaminated. The predominance of PAHs containing two to four aromatic rings in most of the samples suggested the direct input of raw sewage into the water resources evaluated. Benzo[g,h,i]perylene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were predominant in sediments from the areas under the greatest urban and industrial development. The correlation between thermodynamic stability and the kinetics of evolution presented by the isomeric pairs indicated that combustion is the predominant source of PAHs in the sediments because the combustion of fossil fuels affected most of the points evaluated, followed by combustion of biomass and eventually combustion of oil product inputs. In general, the results showed that areas under strong urban influence, as well as the Irai EPA, receive contributions of PAHs from similar sources.