PAHs and organic matter partitioning and mass transfer from coal tar particles to water

Journal Article · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es0600431· OSTI ID:20813184

Benhabib, Karim; Simonnot, Marie-Odile; Sardin, Michel ^[1]

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1. LSGC - Laboratory of Chemical Engineering Science, Nancy (France)

The coal tar found in contaminated soils of former manufactured gas plants and coking plants acts as a long-term source of PAHs. Organic carbon and PAH transfer from coal tar particles to water was investigated with closed-looped laboratory column experiments run at various particle sizes and temperatures. Two models were derived. The first one represented the extraction process at equilibrium and was based on a linear partitioning of TOC and PAHs between coal tar and water. The partition coefficient was derived as well as the mass of extractable organic matter in the particles. The second model dealt with mass transfer. Particle diffusion was the limiting step; organic matter diffusivity in the coal tar was then computed in the different conditions. A good consistency was obtained between experimental and computed results. Hence, the modeling of PAH migration in contaminated soils at the field scale requires taking into account coal tar as the source-term for PAH release. 28 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 20813184
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 40; ISSN ESTHAG; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COAL TAR
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ORGANIC MATTER
PARTICLES
PARTITION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
WATER
WATER POLLUTION