Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Trace Metals in New Orleans Soils and Sediments

Authors: GUANGDI WANG¹; HOWARD MIELKE²; VAN QUACH¹; CHRIS GONZALES²; QIANG ZHANG¹

Source: Soil and Sediment Contamination (formerly Journal of Soil Contamination), Volume 13, Number 3, May-June 2004 , pp. 313-327(15)

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd

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Abstract:

Soil and sediment samples from New Orleans have been collected and analyzed for contamination by 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 8 trace metals. Total PAH contents were found to vary from 40 mgr

g/kg to 40,000 mgr

g/kg, and concentrations of total metals varied in the range of 80 mg/kg and 7600 mg/kg. Source analysis of PAHs using diagnostic concentration ratios such as phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/ pyrene indicated that PAHs found at elevated concentrations in New Orleans soils and sediments were of pyrolytic origins. Spearman rank bivariate correlation analysis revealed significant correlations between soil PAHs and metals (r = 0.80, p < 0.0001) and between sediment PAHs and metals (r = 0.62, p < 0.05), suggesting common pollution sources for the two groups of environmental pollutants. Strong correlations were also found between Pb and Zn in soils (r = 0.93, p < 0.0001) as well as in sediments (r = 0.65, p < 0.05).

Keywords: Soil and sediment contamination; PAHs; metals; accelerated solvent extraction; GC/MS analysis

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10588330490445349

Affiliations: 1: Department of Chemistry, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA 2: College of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Publication date: 2004-05-01