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Environmental Earth Sciences

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01-07-2010 | Original Article

Even-numbered n-alkanes/n-alkenes predominance in surface sediments of Gabes Gulf in Tunisia

Authors: Fatma Aloulou, Monem Kallel, Mohamed Dammak, Boubaker Elleuch, Alain Saliot

Published in: Environmental Earth Sciences | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Hydrocarbons in surface sediments were studied quantitatively and qualitatively in 18 stations along the coastline of Gabes Gulf in Tunisia. The results show that the total hydrocarbon levels vary along a wide range from 90 to 1,800 ppm. The GC–MS profiles of aliphatic hydrocarbons vary according to the stations and show that the hydrocarbons were derived from various sources. A special feature prevalent in several stations was identified: aliphatic hydrocarbons with distinctive chemical features. This includes a high abundance of even-numbered n-alkanes (n-C14–n-C26, maximizing at n-C18, n-C20 and n-C22) and n-alk-1-enes (n-C14:1–n-C24:1, maximizing at n-C16:1, n-C18:1, n-C20:1 and n-C22:1). This unusual predominance of even-numbered n-alkanes/alkenes is reported for the first time in the Gulf of Gabes and it thus contributes to the information on the rare occurrence of such distributions in the geosphere.

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Title: Even-numbered n-alkanes/n-alkenes predominance in surface sediments of Gabes Gulf in Tunisia
Authors: Fatma Aloulou
Monem Kallel
Mohamed Dammak
Boubaker Elleuch
Alain Saliot
Publication date: 01-07-2010
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Environmental Earth Sciences / Issue 1/2010
Print ISSN: 1866-6280
Electronic ISSN: 1866-6299
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0315-y

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