Oil hydrocarbons represent a great proportion of organic compounds in the atmosphere. Information about these compounds in the atmosphere of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is lacking. In this study,n-alkanes and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in air particulates were determined. The highest median concentration levels ofn-alkanes in three urban areas and three areas near oil production centers were 121 ng/m3and 42.9 ng/m3, respectively. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons were also detected, although they are present in too low concentration for reliable quantitative measurement by GC and GC/MS techniques. A positive correlation was found between the concentration levels ofn-alkanes in air particulates and the total suspended particulates measured at most locations. The carbon preference index (CPI) and the presence of the unresolved complex envelope suggested an anthropogenic origin for then-alkanes.
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