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 mu g kg(-1)) was lower than total PAH concentration in Sava River sediments (265.1-11272 mu g 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 Sabac and characterized by heavily polluted sediment.