Abstract

The mudflat area in the southern Iraq is untapped and there are few studies about it, this study attempts to determine the concentration of Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the region, addition to determine their sources and assess the quality of pollution by PPI. Total (PAHs) ranged between (89.8-21.9) μg/g dw with mean value (44.62) μg/g dw, among 16 (PAHs) there are 10 of these compounds are dominant in all station as fallow : Benzo (B) the concentration ranged between (14.46-4.743) μg/g dw, Benzo [G,H,I] was (12.5-ND), Benzo [A] Pyrene(7.88- ND), Chrysene (7.85-ND), Fluoranthene (7.31-1.15) μg/g dw, Benzo[A] anthrax (6.14-ND) μg/g dw, Fluorene (2.38- ND) μg/g dw, Indeno (1,2,3 Ca (6.28-1.98) μg/g dw, Pyrene (1.23-ND) μg/g respectively. According to PPI index (PAHs) was between (89.8-21.98) μg/g dw, very high polluted area by (PAHs). The ratio of Ant/(Ant + Phe) show the contamination from Petrogenic origin in station (1) about (1.00-0.275), while the ratio BaA/ (BaA + Chry) recorded the pyrogenic origin in station (1,2,4), A ratio of Fla/ (Fla + - Pyr) shows the station (1, 4) petroleum origin on the other hand the station (2 ,3) derived from coal combustion, finally grain size shows the environmental position of the area and the deposition conditions. In the current study, clay particles are prevalent, ranging from% (15-30) to about% (43-2). Because of the weak alkalinity impact of marine water, TOC recorded a level of % (1.27) near the river station and the lowest value was (6.76)% at the second station. Sewage remains the chief source of TOC in environment.

Keywords: Mudflat area; Fluoranthen, Benzo [A] Pyerene, TOC