Aliphatic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Sediments of Santos and Cananéia, SP, Brazil

Sediment samples from Santos and Cananéia, São Paulo Brazil were analysed by GC–FID and GC–MS for aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in order to gather information on the degree of contamination by oil and other biogenic contributions. Concentrations of total n-alkanes in Santos varied from 1.05 to 4.29 μg g−1 and aromatic hydrocarbons from 0.08 to 42.39 μg g−1. In Cananéia total n-alkanes varied from 4.37 to 157.90 μg g−1. However, aromatic hydrocarbons were not detected. In Cananéia n-alkanes of terrestrial plants with high molecular weight predominate (n-C25, n-C27, n-C29, n-C31 and n-C33). In Santos, a more uniform distribution of the n-alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons was found at all the sediment stations. The hydrocarbon data from stations close to the Saboó Wharf, at Alemoa and in the COSIPA Channel revealed alarming levels of acenaphthylene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene and chrysene.