Comparison of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Levels in Western Libyan Beach by Gravimetric and Spectroscopy Analysis

Authors

  • Ali. A. Ejbali College of Engineering Technology- Janzour Author
  • Elmabruk H. Ali College of Engineering Technology- Janzour Author
  • Muhsen J. Ghurbaj College of Engineering Technology- Janzour Author
  • Najwa A. Shames College of Engineering Technology- Janzour Author

Keywords:

Western Libyan Beach, hydrocarbon, Petroleom

Abstract

Fourteen seawater samples (denoted as w) from west of the Tripoli shoreline were examined for their petroleum hydrocarbon contents by gravimetric and spectroscopy analysis.

Known amounts of beach water (w) were extracted with a suitable volume of chloroform (CHCl3). The extracts were measured spectrophotometrically through calibration curves of absorptions at 410nm and 260nm to determine the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons.

 Infrared analysis was also conducted on hydrocarbons extracted from shore water samples to assess the degree of oxidation that occurred to the extracted hydrocarbons. This was obtained by comparing the relative absorption values at 1736 and 1712cm-1, normalized with respect to 2925 cm-1; C-H stretching vibration, to rule out effects due to concentration.

 Gravimetrically, hydrocarbon concentrations in shore water (w) ranged from 0.05 to 9.50 ppm, while spectrophotometrically, concentrations at 260nm and 410nm ranged from 0.470 to 2.74ppm, depending on location and industrial activities. The variation between the hydrocarbon concentrations by the gravimetric method and the spectrophotometric method was because the gravimetric method measures total organics, but the spectrophotometric method focuses on hydrocarbons, which are a subset of organics. The Infra-red analysis showed densities at 1736cm-1 ( Acid-I ) and 1712cm-1 ( Acid-II ), which normalized with respect to the absorbance at 2925cm-1 ( Alkyl C-H ) being equal to 1.00, the results ranged from 0.044 to 0.128 as acid-I and ranged from 0.027 to 0.088 as acid-II, depending on the effects of Prevailing Conditions.

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Published

2025-12-25

How to Cite

Comparison of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Levels in Western Libyan Beach by Gravimetric and Spectroscopy Analysis. (2025). Libya Journal of Applied Sciences and Technology, 13(2). https://www.ljast.ly/journalv2/index.php/journalv2/article/view/44