Aspects of petrochemical pollution in southeastern Louisiana (USA): pre-Katrina background and source characterization.

Background petroleum pollution before Hurricane Katrina in southeastern Louisiana (USA) coastal sediments was evaluated at 320 locations in three consecutive years for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), saturated alkanes (nC9-nC35), and petroleum biomarker compounds (hopanes, steranes, pristane, and phytane). Approximately 90% of the sample locations had a total PAH concentration of less than 2.0 microg/g and total saturated alkane concentration of less than 17 microg/g, with 50% indicating a total PAH concentration of less than 200 ng/g.