DETERMINATION OF PAH AND BTEX LEVELS IN WATER SAMPLES OF PATOKU LAGOON

This study presented data about concentrations of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-, m-, p-xylenes) and PAHs (poly aromatic hydrocarbons) in water samples of Patoku Lagoon. Fifteen water samples were taken in different stations of lagoon and five samples in Mati River in November 2014. Headspace solid phase micro extraction (HS-SPME) technique was used to trace BTEX in water samples. For isolation of PAHs in water samples liquid-liquid extraction (assisted with hexane as extraction solvent) were used. 5 L water samples were taken for each stations of Patoku Lagoon. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of BTEX and PAHs in water samples was performed by gas chromatography technique using flame ionization detector (GC/FID). Injections of BTEX were done in Head-Space mode using polydimethyl siloxane fiber. 1 ul extract in hexane (extracting solvent) were injected for PAHs analyses. VF-1ms capillary column (30m x 0.25mm x 0.25um) was used for separation of BTEX and PAH compounds. Relatively high concentrations of MTBE and some volatile PAH compounds were detected in water and sediment samples of Patoku Lagoon and Mati River. The presence of volatile organic pollutants could be mostly of automobilist transport near the lagoon, water currents and discharge of industrial wastes in Mati River.