Hydrocarbon Pollution of Kuwait's Coastal Zone: Differentiation of Petrogenic, Anthropogenic and Biogenic Hydrocarbons

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The prevalence of hydrocarbon pollution in Kuwait’s coastal areas has been well established. The results have indicated that hydrocarbons found in sediments have complex compositions. However, so far, not much effort has been made to define the sources that contribute to the elevated levels of hydrocarbon pollution. Hydrocarbons are ubiquitous in marine environment and can originate from a variety of sources which include biogenic, pathogenic, anthropogenic and diagenetic. It is well known that hydrocarbons from different sources may have different residence time, stability, transport mechanisms, fate, toxicity and bioavailability; and can thus impact marine life in different ways. In this proposed study, sediment samples from Kuwait’s coastal areas will be analyzed for their hydrocarbon composition. Aliphatic and aromatic fractions will be analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for a variety of parameters that will help in differentiating the source. Aliphatic profile (n-alkanes) will be used to differentiate petrogenic and biogenic hydrocarbons. Petroleum biomarkers (hopanes, steranes and terpanes) in this fraction will be analyzed by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry to confirm the contribution of petrogenic sources.Analysis of parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and methylated derivatives will provide further insight into their origins. Different statistical tools will be employed (analysis of variance, regression and principle component analysis) to link the hydrocarbons to their sources. The source information will greatly help in regulating and controlling the input of these pollutants to Kuwait’s marine environment as well as provide an assessment of the status of hydrocarbon pollution in Kuwait’s coastal areas.