Aliphatic and Aromatic Biomarkers for Petroleum Hydrocarbon Monitoring in Khniss Tunisian-Coast, (Mediterranean Sea)

Levels, composition profiles and sources of hydrocarbons were analyzed in surface marine sediment samples collected from Khniss Coast in Tunisia. The total Hydrocarbon (TH) concentrations ranged from 2280 μg/g to 7700 μg/g. The sedimentary non-aromatic hydrocarbon (NAH) and aromatic hydrocarbon (AH) concentrations ranged from 1020 to 2320 μg/g, and from 240 to 680 μg/g, respectively. The higher level of total concentration of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ∑17PAHs is equal to 14.59 ng/g. The PAH profiles showed that the ∑4–5-ring compounds were the major PAHs detected in the sampling sites. Characteristic ratios of Anth/(Anth+ Phe), and Flu/(Flu + Pyr) indicated that PAHs could originate from petrogenic and pyrolytic sources. Petroleum contamination associated with increased marine activity and high eutrophization statue in Khniss area which can have side-effects on the ecosystems and human safety, must be controlled.