Determination of PAH, PCB and OCP levels and risk assessment in some dam lake/pond surface sediments supplying drinking water to Tekirda? province

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of organic pollutants in the surface sediments of some dam lakes/ponds in Tekirda??, to specifiy possible PAH sources and to perform the ecological risk assessment of sediment quality. Naphthalene is dominant PAH congener in all other sediment samples. In the samples, the most dominant OCP compounds were DDT p, p, DDE p, p and HCH alpha, respectively, while PCB 153, 138 and 180 were the highest detected PCB congeners. Source identification of PAHs was made using the molecular ratios of PAH compounds. Considering all the calculated molecular ratios together, it has been found that the source of PAH compounds in sediment samples is mostly petrogenic. None of the levels of PAHs, PCBs and OCPs in the samples exceeded the ERM values. Purpose: Determination of the levels of PAH, PCB and chlorinated pesticides in the surface sediments of some lakes/ponds in Tekirda?? was aimed in this study. The possible PAH sources based on the results obtained was also investigated. T heory and Methods: The freeze-dried sediment samples were extracted using an automatic extraction system. Cleanup was done by silica and alumina column chromatography and PAH congeners and PCB/chlorinated pesticide compounds were collected separately and cleaned samples were analyzed by GC-MSMS. Results: It was observed that none of the levels of PAHs, PCBs and OCPs in the samples exceeded the ERM values, which is the pollutant level at which toxic effects often occur in aquatic organisms. Conclusion: Source identification of PAHs was made using the molecular ratios of PAH compounds. Considering all the calculated molecular ratios together, it has been found that the source of PAH compounds in sediment samples is mostly petrogenic. None of the levels of PAHs, PCBs and OCPs in the samples exceeded the ERM values, which is the contaminant level at which toxic effects often occur in aquatic organisms.