Sorption of polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) congeners by residual PCB-oil phases in soils
- Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA)
In this report the authors show that residual polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) oil present in soils heavily contaminated with PCB mixtures (Aroclors) functions as a highly effective partitioning medium accounting for the sorptive uptake of 2-chlorobiphenyl from water. A PCB-oil normalized partition coefficient (K{sub PCB}) was evaluated from the experimental sorption data of 2-chlorobiphenyl onto four PCB-oil contaminated soils which had PCB-oil contents ranging from 2.17 g/kg to 7.67 g/kg (2,170 ppm-7,670 ppm). This K{sub PCB} value (114,000) indicates that the residual PCB-oil phase in soils, as a partitioning medium for 2-chlorobiphenyl, is approximately 67 times more effective per unit mass than natural soil organic matter (K{sub OM} = 1,700) and 3.5 times more effective than octanol (K{sub ow} = 32,400). Our results suggest a threshold PCB concentration in soil of about 0.2% (w/w), above which the PCB mixutre forms a separate sorptive phase. The threshold concentration may correspond to the solubility of the liquid PCB mixutre in natural soil organic matter. Because of its greater sorptive effectiveness, the PCB-oil phase, once formed, will primarily determine the soil-water distribution of individual PCB congeners. Accurate prediction of the soil-water distribution of PCB congeners in such soils can be obtained by considering the additive sorptive effects of the anthropogenic and natural organic matter phases.
- OSTI ID:
- 5203625
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality; (United States) Vol. 20:3; ISSN JEVQA; ISSN 0047-2425
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Influence of colloids on sediment-water partition coefficients of polychlorobiphenyl congeners in natural waters
Influence of cadmium on PCB congener accumulation in quail
Related Subjects
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AROMATICS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONTAMINATION
FUNCTIONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MATTER
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
PARTITION FUNCTIONS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
SORPTION