Influence of colloids on sediment-water partition coefficients of polychlorobiphenyl congeners in natural waters

Journal Article · Fri Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1986 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00153a009· OSTI ID:6938884

Baker, J E; Capel, P D; Eisenreich, S J

Measurements of sediment-water partitioning of polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) congeners in Lake Superior provide some of the first field evidence demonstrating the importance of colloids to the fates of highly hydrophobic organic pollutants. Laboratory-derived correlations between sediment-water distribution coefficients and properties of both the contaminant (octanol-water partition coefficient) and the suspended solids (organic carbon content, concentration) do not accurately predict PCB speciation in Lake Superior. This failure can be explained by the presence of colloidal matter with which contaminants may associate and the very low solids concentrations in oligotrophic surface waters. A surprising consequence of such colloid associations is that the observed sediment-water distribution coefficients are independent of properties of highly hydrophobic compounds. A three-phase model including nonfilterable microparticles and macromolecular organic matter shows that colloidal-associated contaminants may be the dominant species in most surface waters. Colloidal associations are therefore likely to significantly impact the geochemistry of hydrophobic pollutants.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis
• OSTI ID: 6938884
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 20:11; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AROMATICS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
COLLOIDS
DATA
DISPERSIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GEOCHEMISTRY
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
INTERFACES
LAKE SUPERIOR
LAKES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
SEDIMENT-WATER INTERFACES
SORPTION
SURFACE WATERS