Geochemical Constraints of Poly-Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in sediments collected from the Suez Gulf, Egypt. ¿PAH concentrations were in the range of 6.6009 ¿ 9442.803 ng/g dry weight, with the mean value of 1157.9793 ng/g dry weight. The highest concentration of total PAHs is recorded in sediments collected from Inlet of Suez Oil Petroleum Company (SOPC) 9442.803 ng/g dry weight, followed by that in 50 m East the Outlet of Suez Oil petroleum Company (SOPC) 5183.466 ng/g dry weight and Outlet of Suez Oil petroleum Company (SOPC) 1770.3265 ng/g dry weight; while lower concentrations are detected in Suez Beach 6.6009 ng/g dry weight, 600 m West the Outlet of Suez Oil Petroleum Company (SOPC), 300 m from Inlet of AL-Nasr Petroleum Company (NPC ) and EL- Sukhna of Loloha Beach (16.8135, 47.4581and 65.0644 ng/g dry weight, respectively). In this context, ratio of low molecular weight of PAHs (2- and 3-rings) to high (4- to 6-rings) has been used to differentiate between the pyrogenic and petrogenic sources of PAHs in the studied samples.