scholarly journals Vertical distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the brackish sea water column: ex situ experiment

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e10087
Author(s):  
Zilvinas Kryzevicius ◽  
Kristina Mickuviene ◽  
Martynas Bucas ◽  
Monika Vilkiene ◽  
Audrone Zukauskaite

Background Oil spills can cause severe damage within a marine ecosystem. Following a spill, the soluble fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is rapidly released into the water column. These remain dissolved in seawater over an extended period of time, even should the insoluble fraction be removed. The vertical distribution of the aromatic hydrocarbon component and how these become transferred is poorly understood in brackish waters. This study examines the vertical distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons having been released from a controlled film of spilled oil onto the surface of brackish water. Methods The study was undertaken under controlled conditions so as to minimize the variability of environmental factors such as temperature and hydrodynamics. The distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was measured in the dissolved and suspended phases throughout the 1 m water column with different intensity of water sampling: 1, 2, 4, 7, 72, 120, 336, 504 and 984 h. Results The total concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ranged from 19.01 to 214.85 ng L–1 in the dissolved phase and from 5.14 to 63.92 ng L–1 in the suspended phase. These hydrocarbons were released immediately following a controlled spill attaining 214.9 ng L–1 in the dissolved phase and 54.4 ng L–1 in the suspended phase near the cylinder bottom after 1–2 h. The 2–3 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons dominated in the dissolved phase (60–80%), whereas the greater amount of 4–6 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (55–90%) occurred in the suspended phase. A relatively low negative correlation (rS = –0.41) was determined between the concentration of phenanthrene and suspended matter, whereas a high negative correlation (r =  − 0.79) was found between the concentration of pyrene and suspended matter. Despite the differences in the relationships between the concentration ratio and amount of suspended matter the obtained regressions allow roughly to predict the concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

2021 ◽  
Vol XXIV (1) ◽  
pp. 254-263
Author(s):  
ZUKAUSKAITE Audrone

The most intensive traffic in the world is going in the Baltic Sea. Consequences of intensive navigation are illegal or accidental oil spills. Following a spill, the soluble fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is rapidly released into the water column. These remain dissolved in seawater over an extended period of time, even should the insoluble fraction be removed. Therefore, it is necessary to know how fast and what polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons start releasing from the film of spilled oil. During an experiment, it was aimed to determine maximal concentrations of that. PAH were analysed in the dissolved and suspended phases in the water column. The study was undertaken under controlled conditions so as to minimize the variability of environmental factors such as temperature and hydrodynamics. After two weeks of the experiment, the following low-molecular weight hydrocarbons were detected: naphthalene (Naph), phenanthrene (Phe) and anthracene (Antr). No high-molecular weight hydrocarbons were detected within the total time of the experiment (8 weeks). The distributions of PAHs were measured in the dissolved and suspended phases, where total concentration of PAHs ranged from 19.01 ng L-1 to 194.70 ng L-1 in the dissolved phase and from 5.14 to 63.92 ng L–1 in the suspended phase. The release of PAHs from the film started immediately after the spill reaching 194.70 ng L-1 in the dissolved phase and 63.92 ng L-1 in the suspended phase near the bottom of water column after 1 – 2 hours. In the dissolved phase, 2 – 3 ring PAHs dominated (60 – 80 %), whereas the highest amount of 4 – 6 ring PAHs (55 – 90 %) was found in the suspended phase.


1990 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 443 ◽  
Author(s):  
SI Kayal ◽  
DW Connell

In all, 23 sediment samples and 8 water column samples from the Brisbane River estuary, Queensland, Australia, were analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in order to assess the field partitioning behaviour of these hydrocarbons. Twelve PAHs, ranging in molecular weight from naphthalene to benzo[a]pyrene, were identified and quantified. Their partition coefficients, indexed to sediment organic carbon and lipid content, were calculated after filtering to remove particulates and making a calculated adjustment for colloids, or organic matter, in the water phase. In logarithmic form, the partition coefficients were related to the physico-chemical properties of the compounds (Kow, Sw, RRT) by relationships having a parabolic shape rather than being linear. However, compounds with log Kow values of less than 5.5 gave linear relationships comparable to, but distinctly different from, those obtained from laboratory experiments. It is suggested that field conditions have distinctive differences from laboratory experiments that do not allow the direct translation of laboratory-based relationships to the natural aquatic environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahseen Sayara ◽  
Antoni Sánchez

Bioremediation of contaminated soils has gained increasing interest in recent years as a low-cost and environmentally friendly technology to clean soils polluted with anthropogenic contaminants. However, some organic pollutants in soil have a low biodegradability or are not bioavailable, which hampers the use of bioremediation for their removal. This is the case of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which normally are stable and hydrophobic chemical structures. In this review, several approaches for the decontamination of PAH-polluted soil are presented and discussed in detail. The use of compost as biostimulation- and bioaugmentation-coupled technologies are described in detail, and some parameters, such as the stability of compost, deserve special attention to obtain better results. Composting as an ex situ technology, with the use of some specific products like surfactants, is also discussed. In summary, the use of compost and composting are promising technologies (in all the approaches presented) for the bioremediation of PAH-contaminated soils.


2018 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 704-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greta Vagge ◽  
Laura Cutroneo ◽  
Michela Castellano ◽  
Giuseppe Canepa ◽  
Rosa Maria Bertolotto ◽  
...  

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