Baseline Assessment of Priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils Surrounding the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in soil sample which originates from various natural and anthropogenic activities like incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, natural fires, volcanic eruptions, thermal geological reactions, industrial processes etc. PAHs are thought to be carcinogenic and 16 unsubstituted PAHs have been marked as priority pollutants by USEPA. Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is to be Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant facility that has been under construction since November 2017, and has not been operational yet. This study aims to investigate the presence of four priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the soil samples collected from the proximity of Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). Analysis of twelve soil samples collected from three different sites around the RNPP facility were evaluated for naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and fluorene contamination level by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The analysis revealed PAH contamination, ranging from 0.81 ppb to 130.22 ppb across the study sites, exceeding the established permissible limits for Naphthalene (10 ppb) and 3-ring PAHs (30 ppb) in all sample areas. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant linearity between Anthracene, Phenanthrene, and Fluorene (r>0.975, p<0.001), while Naphthalene’s mobility was shown by its presence at a significant depth of 36 m at the RNPP boring site. This study establishes a pre-operational baseline, suggesting that current contamination is primarily due to regional industrial activities and transportation emissions rather than nuclear facility operations.