Title: Oil pollution in the Caspian Sea coastal waters

Authors: Ahmad Khatoonabadai, Ahmadreza R. Mohammadi Dehcheshmeh

Addresses: College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology Sanati, Isfahan, I.R. Iran. ' Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Provincial Water and Sewage, Authority, Shariati Ave., Shahrekord, I.R. Iran

Abstract: The study aims to investigate hydrocarbon and pollutant concentrations in the southern coastal waters of the Caspian Sea to trace their origins and nature, including the effect of the beach materials on hydrocarbons for 11 sites in Golestan, Mazandaran, and Guilan provinces. Samples were collected from sandy and rocky sites for gas chromatography in five carbon ranges of gasoline, diesel oil, engine oil, BTEX, and PAH. The GC analysis revealed the highest pollutant concentration levels in autumn and the lowest in summer; moreover in rocky beaches analysis indicated that a major portion of the oil pollution in the region consists of hydrocarbons.

Keywords: oil pollution; Caspian Sea; petroleum hydrocarbons; gas chromatography; beaches; costal waters; environmental monitoring; environmental pollution; environmental protection; Iran.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2006.009326

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2006 Vol.26 No.4, pp.347 - 363

Published online: 20 Mar 2006 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article