Water solubility enhancement of some organic pollutants and pesticides by dissolved humic and fulvic acids

Journal Article · Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00147a010· OSTI ID:5743718

Chiou, C T; Malcolm, R L; Brinton, T I; Kile, D E

Water solubility enhancements by dissolved humic and fulvic acids from soil and aquatic origins and by synthetic organic polymers have been determined for selected organic pollutants and pesticides (p,p'-DDT,2,4,5,2',5'-PCB, 2,4,4'-PCB, 1,2,3,-trichlorobenzene, and lindane). Significant solubility enhancements of relatively water-insoluble solutes by dissolved organic matter (DOM) of soil and aquatic origins may be described in terms of a partition-like interaction of the solutes with the microscopic organic environment of the high-molecular-weight DOM species; the apparent solute solubilities increase linearly with DOM concentration and show no competitive effect between solutes. The K/sub dom/ values of solutes with soil-derived humic acid are approximately 4 times greater than with soil fulvic acid and 5-7 times greater than with aquatic humic and fulvic acids. The effectiveness of DOM in enhancing solute solubility appears to be largely controlled by the DOM molecular size and polarity. The relative inability of high-molecular-weight poly(acrylic acids) to enhance solute solubility is attributed to their high polarities and extended chain structures that do not permit the formation of a sizable intramolecular nonpolar environment. 41 references, 6 figures, 3 tables.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Denver, CO
• OSTI ID: 5743718
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Vol. 20:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
POLLUTANTS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOLUBILITY
WATER CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DDT
FULVIC ACIDS
HUMIC ACIDS
LINDANE
ORGANIC MATTER
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
STIMULATION
AROMATICS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATED ALICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED ALICYCLIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INSECTICIDES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PESTICIDES
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)