Origins of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments from the Danube and Sava Rivers and Their Tributaries in Serbia

Abstract

This study focussed on a comprehensive investigation on the state of pollution and identification of potential sources of contamination of some river sediments in Serbia by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and is the basis for setting up further monitoring programs. The sediment quality of the Danube River (km 1433-845) and its tributaries in Serbia, including the Sava River (km 202-1), were analysed with respect to PAHs and total organic carbon (TOC). We found that total PAH concentration in the sediments from the Danube and its tributaries (10.0-4140 µg kg-1) was lower than total PAH concentration in Sava River sediments (265.1-11272 µg kg-1). Principal component analysis showed that concentrations of benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, pyrene, fluoranthene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, benzo[a] pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and benzo[k]fluoranthene in the sediments were correlated with TOC. The diagnostic ratios anthracene/(anthracene+phenanthrene) and fluoranthene/(fluoranthene+pyrene) were calculated to evaluate the emission sources of the PAHs. Therefore, these ratios indicated the predominantly pyrogenic source of the PAHs in the sediments. Results have also shown that river sediments in the Danube and Sava rivers and their tributaries were not recently polluted with PAHs, excluding only one location-S4, downstream of Šabac and characterized by heavily polluted sediment.

Assessment of the estuarine shoreline microplastics and mesoplastics of the River Itchen, Southampton (UK) for contaminants and for their interaction with invertebrate fauna

“…In examining this trend, the sorption kinetics of PAHs on microplastics, which was more concentrated in the surface horizons, differs from that of sorption mechanisms with the intertidal substrate. Total organic carbon is considered to have strong positive correlation with PAHs in sediments, and the mechanism for this interaction is still being investigated (Crnkovic et al 2019 ). With microplastics, especially in the dynamic nature of an estuary, residence time of microplastics and their sorption capacity, which is highly dependent on the polymer type (Lee et al 2014 ), may influence how PAH interacts with the plastic material.…”

Romanian Danube River Hydrocarbon Pollution in 2011–2021

“…Sources of petroleum and PAHs in water are industry (e.g., power generation), cities and towns (municipal discharges), pipeline spills, oil fields and refineries, offshore oil platforms, natural oil seep, shipping accidents, or intentional oil discharges [23,50]. Petroleum has negative effects on aquatic organisms (toxic action and habitat modification) and PAHs are environmental organic contaminants [51] that have carcinogenic and mutagenic effects, and bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue [52,53].…”

“…An example of a river of international importance is the Danube [20,21], which is a cross-border river flowing through ten countries. Its basin covers 19 European states [22][23][24][25][26][27].…”