Using GC –Mass Method for Determination the Hydrocarbon Compounds in Some Vegetable Samples at Derna City, Libya

The purpose of this study was to identify and quantify the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a variety of vegetables from various places in Derna City, Libya. The GC-MS equipment was used to identify and determine the types of aromatic hydrocarbon molecules. The findings demonstrated that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were present in every vegetable sample that was analyzed. The findings indicated that the vegetables' total amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons varied as follows: 8.257 µg/g for tomato, 8.258 µg/g for pepper, 7.841 µg/g for eggplant, and 8.216 µg/g for zucchini. The origin and sources of the investigated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in vegetable samples were estimated using a few computed ratios, as the ratio (LMW/HMW) of low molecular weight (LMW) to high molecular weight (HMW) chemical composition. Diagnostic ratios of the concentrations of specific pairs of aromatic hydrocarbons, such as (∑COMB/∑PAHs), Phe/Ant, Flu/Pyr, Inp/ (Inp + Bghip), Bap/(Bap + Chr), and Ant/(Ant + Phe), were also employed to investigate the origin of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The findings showed that petrogenic and pyrolytic sources were the primary sources of PAHs in vegetables. The investigation came to the conclusion that the majority of the PAHs in the study samples came from either pyrolytic or direct petroleum sources