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

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 μ g/kg to 40,000 μ 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

Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by DOD Grant # DSWA01-97-1-0028 and DOE Grant #DE-FC26-00NT40843 through the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research, and by ATSDR/MHPF cooperative agreement # U50/ATU398948.