Identification of Sources of Environmental Pollution at the Sites of Production, Storage and Transportation of Oil Using the PAH Indicator Ratios
Authors: Khaustov Alexandr , Redina Margarita 
Published: July 2015

Indicator ratios of the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are wide used to determine the sources of the hydrocarbon pollutions. These estimations are used for identification of sources of PAH itself as well as of the pollutions that satellites they are (products of every combustion processes and oil pollutions). The necessity of assessments is connected with the problems of identification of the causes of the environmental damages as a result of pollution of the environments. The indicator ratios of PAH are considered as a "geochemical markers" that are used to determine the sources of the pollutants. This research is based on the multiple literature data about the PAH concentrations in natural and man-made objects. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the accuracy of the received assessments and the assessment of the possibility to use the identified of the foreign researches. Critical values of the indicator ratios in the natural conditions Russian oil and gas industry.

The results of the research allow to select the geochemical markers, mostly "sensitive" to the pollution character, indicator ratios of the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). These chemicals affects the environment with the combustion processes or together with the oil (oil product) pollution. As a result is possible the identification of the causes of the environmental damages depending on the pollution composition of the time of the pollutant emission.

The research allowed to determine and to construct the set of the most informative geochemical indicators (markers) to use in the climatic and landscape conditions of Russia for the various technogenic objects. Despite the practically half-century history of use of the indicator ratios based on PAH concentrations, in Russia such assessments are not widely used. The causes are set of complicating factors hindering the implementation of indicators developed abroad, unadjusted for domestic natural conditions. It is necessary to adjust the ratios due to the different methods of extraction of PAHs from various substances (materials burned or released to the environment during the oil spills), the technology used, climatic conditions, types of pollution.

The paper presents new data on the information content of indicators for various polluted environments and suggestions for their uses in the identification of sources of PAHs in order to identify the causes of hydrocarbon contamination.

The results are of significant practical importance in connection with:

The possibility of establishing pollutants (implementation of the environmental policy principle of "pollutants pays"); Refinement of in formativeness of the used indicators for different environments, climatic conditions, applicable technologies and materials; Emphasis on PAHs as priority environmental pollutants by oil products, including super-toxic compounds PAH; The use of PAH ratios as an effective tool for geochemical studies of accidents in oil and gas.