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Title: Photolytic and partitioning behavior of polynuclear aromatic compounds, aromatic amines, and phenols in aqueous coal oil

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5211694

Aqueous fractions produced by equilibrating coal oil with water are toxic to several aquatic organisms. The oil/water distribution coefficients (K/sub D/s) and photolytic behavior of components of these fractions were studied to assess their transport and persistence in aquatic systems. Comparing K/sub D/s measured for homologs showed that the addition of a ring carbon or alkyl group increased logK/sub D/ by 0.31 and 0.45, respectively. Aqueous concentrations of the highly insoluble four- and five-ring polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) based on projected K/sub D/s were in the low nanograms-per-liter range. Photolysis rate constants measured in pure water for pyrene (0.82 h/sup -1/), benz(a)anthacene (1.0 h/sup -1/), and benzo(a)pyrene (1.4 h/sup -1/) were reduced sixfold to ninefold in the aqueous coal-oil matrix. Most of the main components of the acid, base, and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions of the aqueous coal-oil solutions were not photodegraded detectably in a three-hour exposure to sunlight. Indoles and carbazoles photodegraded rapidly, with half-lives of 2 to 19 h. Indoles apparently underwent sensitized photolysis in the aqueous coal-oil matrix. Indoles individually exposed to sunlight in water exhibited autocatalytic behavior, resulting in high quantum yields. Carbazole, with a 2.2-fold reduction in its photolysis rate constant, behaved similarly to the PAH.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
5211694
Report Number(s):
DOE/MC/49533-1837; ANL/SER-4; ON: DE85013710
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English