Indices of PAH Origin-A Case Study of the Gulf of Gdansk (SE Baltic) Sediments

The aim of this work is to present a way of developing indices for assessing the dominant origin of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the basis of a case study in the Gulf of Gdansk (SE Baltic). The indices were based on selected concentration ratios of both parent and alkylated PAHs found in reference matrices that are potential anthropogenic sources of PAH pollution for this area, i.e., airborne particulate matter (PM10) from the Gdansk conurbation, soot derived from wood and diesel oil combustion, and a variety of petrogenic products. Verification of the suitability of the PAH ratios for source apportionment showed that the following indices are potentially the most useful for distinguishing PAHs of pyrogenic and petrogenic origin: [Sigma 3-+4-ring-PAHs]/[Sigma 5-+Sigma 6-ring-PAHs], Sigma mMP/Phen, 4,5-MP/Sigma mMP, 1,7-dMP/[1,7-+2,6-dMP]. It was found that PAHs deposited in recent sediments in the Gulf of Gdansk originate mainly from pyrogenic sources, while perylene is also derived from diagenetic processes.