Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Polysaccharides in River Sediments from the Odra Basin after the 1997 Flood

Fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), six monosaccharides (SA) formed following the hydrolysis of polysaccharides, as well as water and organic matter contents were determined in river sediments sampled in thirteen points in the Odra basin after the catastrophic flood of 1997. The water content is related to the water absorbing capacity of the soil in the Odra catchment area. The PAH content increases together with the increase in the organic matter (OM) content which suggests that these species are mainly of anthropogenic origin. On the other hand, SA and OM contents decrease with increasing water content, which implies that both enhance biological life. The PAH content tends to decrease when the SA content increases. This relation goes hand in hand with the quality of water resources, which is greater when the quantity of polysaccharides is higher.