Distribution and fate of PAHs contaminants deposited in the sediments of North-Western Creeks adjoining the Arabian sea of Mumbai, India: Implications for monitoring

Abstract Assessment of 17 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was made to understand the sources, toxicity risk and biological impact in surface sediments of Malad and Versova creek of Mumbai. The concentration of ΣPAHs was found to vary in the range of 2915–4204 ng/g dw (mean 3367 ± 948 ng/gdw). The concentration of high molecular weight PAHs (HMW PAHs) in the range of 2378–3394 ng/g dw (mean 2723 ± 755 ng/g dw) was higher than that of low molecular PAHs (LMW PAHs) which was in the range of 528–810 ng/g dw (mean 644 ± 202 ng/g dw). The contribution of HMW PAHs to the ∑PAHs was 80.86% while that of LMW PAHs was 19.14%. The concentration of carcinogenic PAHs was 1452–1996 ng/g dw (mean 1631 ± 447 ng/g dw) having contribution of 48.43% to the ∑PAHs. The assessment of biological risk and toxicity was made based on toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ) and sediment quality guideline quotient (SQGQ). The PAH levels are feared to increase in coming times thereby creating probable threat to the biological life and health hazard to the nearby human population.