Abstract:
The soil of automobile workshop areas is contributing to environmental deterioration. The
present study was conducted to analyze petroleum hydrocarbons in the soil of some selected
auto workshop areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Soil samples were collected from seventeen
different workshop areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Analysis of soil samples was done
through gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and results were represented by area
normalization method. Results of the study indicated that saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated
hydrocarbons, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were
found in soil samples taken from selected workshop areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Saturated hydrocarbons and cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons were relatively in a higher
percentage than unsaturated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The average percentage
concentration of saturated hydrocarbons in soil samples was 37 %, the average percentage
concentration of cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons was 31 %, the average percentage
concentration of unsaturated hydrocarbons was 20 % and the average percentage concentration
of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil was 12 %. The results of the study recommend
great caution in handling and disposal of petroleum hydrocarbons at the workplace due to the
probable toxicity of many of the detected substances. Regular monitoring of these petroleum
contaminated soil by Pak-EPA was found to be inevitable.
