Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) Contamination in Surface Soil along Tehran-Semnan Road, Iran

The objective of the current research is carrying out the evaluation of the distribution, source, and environmental health risk of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) compounds in soil samples taken from the vicinity of Tehran-Semnan road, Iran. This road is a densely populated one in central northern part of Iran with a heavy load of vehicular traffics and several industrial complexes. Four different sampling sites (S1 to S4) were selected in the studied area and then a concentration of 16 PAHs compounds in taken soil samples were measured by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Total PAHs concentrations varied significantly from 148.4 ng g-1 to 721 ng g-1. The Siman-e Tehran (S1) site has the highest average total PAHs concentrations (654.55 ng g-1) and Dehenamak (S4) has the lowest average total PAHs concentrations (168.7 ng g-1) among the studied sites. The obtained total PAH concentrations in the studied soil samples are relatively lower than those reported in the literature for similar areas. The diagnostic ratios of fluoranthene to pyrene (Flu/Pyr) and phenanthrene to anthracene (Phe/Ant) were used to determine the petrogenic and pyrogenic sources of PAHs, respectively. The derived results indicated that PAHs contamination in the majority of studied soil samples was caused by both petrogenic and pyrogenic process. Review History: Received: 11 January 2017 Revised: 12 February 2017 Accepted: 19 February 2017 Available Online: 24 February 2017