Distribution, source apportionment and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in intertidal sediment of Asaluyeh, Persian Gulf

Surface sediment samples were collected from intertidal zone of Asaluyeh, Persian Gulf, to investigate distribution, sources and health risk of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Total PAH concentrations ranged from 1.8 to 81.2 μg kg −1 dry weight, which can be categorized as low level of pollution. Qualitative and quantitative assessments showed that PAHs originated from both petrogenic and pyrogenic sources with slight pyrogenic dominance. Source apportionment using principal component analysis indicated that the main sources of PAHs were fossil fuel combustion (33.59%), traffic-related PAHs (32.77%), biomass and coal combustion (18.54%) and petrogenic PAHs (9.31%). According to the results from the sediment quality guidelines, mean effects range-median quotient (M-ERM-Q) and benzo[ a ]pyrene toxic equivalents (BaP eq ), low negative ecological risks related to PAH compounds would occur in the intertidal zone of Asaluyeh. The total benzo[ a ]pyrene (BaP) toxic equivalent quotient (TEQ carc ) for carcinogenic compounds ranged from 0.01 to 7 μg kg −1 -BaP eq , indicating low carcinogenic risk. The human health risk assessment of PAH compounds via ingestion and dermal pathways suggests low and moderate potential risk to human health, respectively.