IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL PROCESSES (IJCCP )

E-I SSN 2545-5265
P- ISSN 2695-1916
VOL. 11 NO. 1 2025
DOI: 10.56201/ijccp.vol.11.no1.2025.pg82.95

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Insights into the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Recent Saline Sediment Cores from Gabu Lake, Nigeria

Alice Ndem Etim, Ifiok Eni Enyong

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Abstract

In paleo-environmental studies, the direction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) distributions in sediment cores are commonly used markers of alterations in environmental, diagenetic, as well as paleo-climatic conditions. However, the factors contributing to the variability of these compounds are not fully understood particularly, in the Sub-Tropical African region. Here, the comparative evaluation of the recent saline sediment core (GS – obtained towards the shoreline and GC – towards the center) of Gabu Lake was undertaken to asses paleo- climatic changes that might have occurred during the period of geological time frame represented in the sediment intervals under study using gas chromatogram/mass spectrometry. Discrimination of the sources of anthropogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon to evaluate their petrogenic and pyrogenic origins could not be established due to near absences or non-detection of these PAH types in both GC and GS, reflecting a relatively pristine sedimentary environment most suitable for evaluation of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter inputs, implying that the PAHs were predominantly from biogenic sources. This accession was founded on the discovery of high levels of isomers of lupines and chrysene with dominant members such as“3,4,7,12a-Tetramethyl- 1,2,3,4,4a, 11,12,12a-octa hydro chrysene; 3,3,7,12a-Tetramethyl-1,2,3,4,4a, 11,12,12a-octa hydro chrysene; 3,4,7-Trimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrochryse-ne; and 3,3,7-Trimethyl-1,2,3,4- tetrahydrochrysene with m/z 292”(C22H28) small fragment ions following the loss of different aliphatic groups. Biogenic-derived PAH is formed via anaerobic oxidation of ? and ? amyrins or lupeol by a progressive aromatization process where the dominant types are found in both cores.

keywords:

PAHs, Saline, Autochthonous, Allochthonous, paleo-environment, biogenic

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