Characterization and Degradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons Following an Oil Spill into a Coastal Environment of South Texas, U.S.A.

Petroleum hydrocarbons were characterized at eleven sites withinthe sediments of a coastal stream in south Texas, U.S.A. following a medium sized crude oil spill. Bank and open-water(deep) sediments were collected at each site. Hydrocarbonstargeted for analysis included 22 aliphatic hydrocarbons (C-11to C-34) and 16 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Sedimentconcentrations were measured at intervals of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and12 months post-spill. Higher hydrocarbon concentrations were observed for a longerduration within the deep sediments than bank sediments. Initialhydrocarbon constituents in impacted sediments matched the crudeoil fingerprint accurately with the exception of the lighter-endhydrocarbons. The lighter-end aliphatic hydrocarbons areaffected immediately by evaporation and dissolution processesduring the spill event and were found below the detection levelsat most of the sites. Total hydrocarbon concentrations insediments within each hydrocarbon group returned to backgroundlevels by the end of the study period. Observed decreases inhigh molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)concentrations exceeded known environmental degradation rateswhich suggests the influence of a sediment transport process. Overall, the fate of petroleum hydrocarbons within this type ofenvironment were likely related to both degradation and sedimenttransport processes. By the end of the study period, most individual PAH constituent concentrations were below thresholdconcentrations thought to produce toxic effects in marine andestuarine organisms. PAH constituents concentrations remainingabove threshold concentrations included benz(a)anthracene,chrysene, and benzo(a)pyrene.     

Volatile Organic Compounds in the Ambient Air of Rousse,Bulgaria

Volatile organic compounds in the ambient air were measured at four locations in Rousse, Bulgaria for a one year period. A gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer equipped with a cryogenic concentrator was used to analyse the air samples. Forty one compounds (aromatic hydrocarbons and halogen-derivatives of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons) were analysed by EPA method TO-14. Aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, toluene, styrene, isomers of xylene and isomers of trimethyl benzene were the most frequently occurring pollutants. Styrene, isomers of xylene and isomers of trimethyl benzene frequently exceeded the concentration limits. Among the halogen derivatives, the concentration of chloroform was always very high. A concept called ‘degree of pollution’ was proposed to clarify the contribution of each pollutant to the total air-pollution. Suggestions were made on the need to introduce an integral tolerance parameter to describe the total impact on air-pollution.     

Full-Scale Remediation of a Jet Fuel-Contaminated Soil: Assessment of Biodegradation, Volatilization, and Bioavailability

Here, we addressed biodegradation vs. volatilization processes, and also bioavailability limitations during biopile remediation of soil initially contaminated by more than 5,000 mg/kg of hydrocarbons. In order to select bioremediation strategies, we first conducted a biotreatability study, which included geochemical, textural, and microbiological characterization of the soil matrix. Next, we implemented five bioremediation approaches onsite in real-scale biopiles. In order to monitor hydrocarbon depletion and to distinguish between biological and non-biological processes, we analyzed chemical biomarkers by means of gas chromatography?Cmass spectrometry. In addition, a comprehensive study of soil grain size and its implications on bioavailability were studied. Furthermore, the evolution of microbial populations was also examined. Two of the strategies implemented in the biopiles (the combination of a slow-release fertilizer and a surfactant, and the use of an oleophilic fertilizer respectively) reduced the soil hydrocarbon content to under 500 mg/kg in 5 months. Additional results from this study indicate that volatilization was the predominant degradation process for light hydrocarbons (below 12 carbon atoms), whereas heavier compounds were mainly biodegraded. However, even in the most favorable situation, a residual concentration of hydrocarbons linked to the finer fraction of the soil was found.     

Characteristic hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcyclobutanones for detecting gamma-irradiated sesame seeds after steaming, roasting, and oil extraction

Hydrocarbons and 2-alkylcyclobutanones in sesame seeds ( Sesamum indicum L.) irradiated at 0.5-4 kGy were used to determine the effect of subsequent steaming, roasting, and oil extraction from the roasted samples on the changes in their concentrations. The concentrations of radiation-induced hydrocarbons increased almost linearly (R(2) = 0.8671-0.9953) with the applied dose. The hydrocarbons, 1,7-hexadecadiene and 8-heptadecene, were detected only in the irradiated samples before and after three types of treatments at doses > or =0.5 kGy, but they were not detected in non-irradiated samples before and after treatment. These two hydrocarbons could be used as markers to identify irradiated sesame seeds. The concentrations of the three detected 2-alkylcyclobutanones, 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB), 2-tetradecylcyclobutanone (2-TCB), and 2-(5'-tetradecenyl)cyclobutanone (2-TeCB), linearly increased with the irradiation dose. These compounds could be detected at doses > or =0.5 kGy but not in non-irradiated samples. The three types of treatments had no significant effect on the levels of 2-alkylcyclobutanones.     

Leaf volatile compounds of six citrus somatic allotetraploid hybrids originating from various combinations of lime, lemon, citron, sweet orange, and grapefruit

Volatile compounds were extracted by a pentane/ether (1:1) mixture from the leaves of six citrus somatic allotetraploid hybrids resulting from various combinations of lime, lemon, citron, sweet orange, and grapefruit. Extracts were examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and compared with those of their respective parents. All hybrids having an acid citrus parent exhibit the same relative contents in hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds as the acid citrus, while the (grapefruit + orange) hybrid behaves similarly to its two parents. When volatile compound contents (microg g(-1)) are examined in detail, several behaviors are encountered in hybrids and seem to depend on the presence/absence of the considered parental compound and on the corresponding hybrid combination. Meanwhile, the sesquiterpene hydrocarbons are present in all hybrids at concentrations systematically lower than those of the highest parental producers. Statistical analyses show that hybrids exhibit hardly discriminable aromatic profiles, meaning that no strong dominance of one or the other parent was observed in hybrids with regards to the leaf volatile compound production.     

江西省土壤典型有机污染物的水平和来源及其健康风险

筛选有机氯农药(六六六和滴滴涕)和多环芳烃作为典型土壤有机污染物,以江西省为例,开展了污染评价、源识别以及健康风险评价研究。结果表明:(1)所有样品中总六六六均未超过我国土壤环境质量二级标准,有8个样品中总滴滴涕超过该标准,另外,7.9%的样品中总多环芳烃超过荷兰土壤环境质量标准中最高允许浓度阈值;(2)接近29%的样品中六六六来自于当前林丹的使用,滴滴涕主要来源于近期输入,而对于多环芳烃而言,其中66%的样品中多环芳烃来源于石油源,34%的样品来源于燃料燃烧;(3)有机氯农药和多环芳烃对人体健康的风险都在可接受的范围内。     

Environmental fate of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil: Review of multiphase transport, mass transfer, and natural attenuation processes

The increasing use of petroleum-derived fuels over the last few decades has subsequently augmented the risk of spills in the environment. Soil pollution with petroleum hydrocarbons (principally caused by leaks in pipelines and underground storage tanks) is one of the major sources of soil degradation. Once in soil, fuel hydrocarbons suffer from a wide variety of multiphase processes including transport (advection, diffusion, and dispersion) among and within phases (aqueous and non-aqueous liquid, gas, and soil solids), mass transfer among phases (volatilization, sorption, and solution), and other natural attenuation processes, such as biodegradation and plant uptake and metabolism. This review identifies and describes the major processes occurring in soil that have a significant influence on the environmental fate of petroleum hydrocarbons. The definition of the processes involved in pollutant migration and distribution in soil and the formulation of adequate equations using accurate parameters (e.g., diffusion coefficients, velocity of advective flows, and mass transfer coefficients) will allow prediction of the final fate of soil pollutants. In addition to transport and mass transfer processes, which are more widely studied, the incorporation of attenuation mechanisms driven by microorganisms and plants is essential to predict the final concentration of the pollutants in the whole multiphase scenario. This work underlines the importance of the determination of accurate parameters through the performance of laboratory and/or field-scale experiments to develop precise pollutant migration models.     

Accumulation of PAHs of the soils and assessment of their health risks at a village with plastic manufacturing in Taizhou,Zhejiang Province,Southeast China

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil had drawn increasing attention for their potential toxic effects on human health and ecological...     

Volatilisation of aromatic hydrocarbons from soil: Part I,fluxes from coal tar contaminated surface soils

The non-steady-state fluxes of aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in the laboratory from the surface of soils contaminated with coal tar. Four soil samples from a former gasworks site were used for the experiments. The fluxes were quantified for 11 selected compounds, 4 mono- and 7 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, for a period of up to 8 or 16 days. The concentrations of the selected compounds in the soils were between 0.2 and 3,100 µg/g. The study included the experimental determination of the distribution coefficient of the aromatic hydrocarbons between the sorbed phase and the water under saturated conditions. The determined distribution coefficients showed that the aromatic hydrocarbons were more strongly sorbed to the total organic carbon including the coal tar pitch — by a factor of 8 to 25 — than expected for natural organic matter. The fluxes were also estimated using an analytical solution of the Fick's diffusion equation and assuming that the compounds diffused independently of each other and that instant equilibrium existed between the air, water and sorbed phases. A relatively good agreement was found between the predicted and the measured flux. The predicted fluxes were between 0.11 and 7.5 time the measured fluxes. The fluxes were overestimated for the monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and underestimated for 3-rings-PAHs.     

Detection of Water and Sediments Pollution of An Arid Saltern (Sfax, Tunisia) by Coupling the Distribution of Microorganisms With Hydrocarbons

We investigated the coupling of abundance of bacteria, phytoplankton and ciliates with hydrocarbons in the surface water and sediments of five interconnected ponds in the arid Sfax solar salterns. This study aimed at determining the potential sources of hydrocarbons and the effects of salinity gradients on microorganism metabolism. Hydrocarbon analysis was performed by gas chromatography (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The GC-FID allowed the detection of aliphatic hydrocarbons and n-alkanes ranging from n-C₁₃ to n-C₃₀. Total aliphatic hydrocarbon concentrations varied from 92.5 mg. l^?1 in the first pond (having marine characteristics) to 661.1 mg. l^?1 in the last pond (crystallizer) (316.8?±?120.1 mg. l^?1) for water samples and from 26.7 to 127.8 μg. g^?1 dry weight for sediment samples. The GC-MS enabled us to detect halogenated hydrocarbons (bromoalkanes and chloroalkanes) and n-alkenes. The distribution of n-alkanes indices coupled to several environmental factors suggests that a major fraction of hydrocarbons resulted from both prokaryotic (bacteria) and eukaryotic (protists) developments. A low hydrocarbon fraction might be petrogenic.     

The application of total hydrocarbon flame ionization detectors to the analysis of hydrocarbon mixtures from motor vehicles,with and without catalytic emission control

The successful application of total hydrocarbon analyzers to the analysis of hydrocarbon mixtures requires linear response with respect to a single calibration compound. Flame ionization detectors configured for total hydrocarbon analysis (premixed flames) do not respond in the same manner to all hydrocarbon species. A discussion of the source of the phenomena is presented. An investigation is presented illustrating the problem in application of the technique to total hydrocarbon analysis of motor vehicle exhaust samples. The response of the nine most abundant auto exhaust hydrocarbons relative to propane, the compound commonly utilized for calibration, is defined for two commercial analyzers. The hydrocarbons selected for the investigation include methane, isopentane, isooctane, ethylene, propylene, acetylene, benzene, toluene, and p-xylene. Analytical error predictions are made based on calculations utilizing the relative response and abundance of these hydrocarbons in samples from motor vehicles. Both catalyst equipped and non-catalyst vehicles are used as sources. The validity of the calculated predictions is empirically verified by comparison with total hydrocarbon levels obtained by summing the concentrations of the individual hydrocarbons obtained with gas chromatography. Procedures to minimize the potential error are presented. The degree of improvement in hydrocarbon response linearity attainable through detector sample flow rate reduction is presented.     

Bituminous substances and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils under lenses of oil and oil products in underground karst cavities (Polaznenskii Peninsula,Perm region)

Bituminous substances and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils under karst rocks have been studied for revealing fluxes of oil and oil products in karst cavities near the earth’s surface (with the Polaznenskii Peninsula in Perm region as an example). It has been found that the hydrocarbon fluxes from underground oil lenses to the surface can be directly detected from the nonspecific organic components of soils and the composition of free gases circulating in soils. Changes in the soil-geochemical parameters indicative of the presence of an underground oil lens have been revealed. It has been shown that the hydrocarbon fluxes from underground oil lenses to the surface can be mapped from nonspecific organic soil components: composition and amount of bituminous substances, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and gaseous hydrocarbons.     

Crop growth,culturable bacteria,and degradation of petrol hydrocarbons (PHCs) in a long-term contaminated field soil

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted for investigating the capability of a grass (annual ryegrass), a legume (summer vetch), and a crucifer (white mustard) to grow in a soil with portions from a former coal gasification site, influence the soil bacterial community, and promote the biodegradation of petrol hydrocarbons (PHCs). Soil concentrations of 1517 mg kg⁻¹ of total petrol hydrocarbons (TPHs), including 71.4 mg kg⁻¹ of total US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (TPAHs) have caused a significant (P < 0.05) reduction in shoot and root dry matter yields by more than 50%. Culturable bacteria and actinomycetes in soil were as much as 18-fold more abundant and the species composition was largely altered because of PHC contaminants and depending on crop species and age. After 95 days, 68.7% of initial TPH amounts and 59% of the TPAHs had disappeared from unplanted soil. Mustard and vetch fostered the removal of PHCs from soil reaching final TPH concentrations that were 15.6% and 12% lower than in unplanted soil. Both crops elicited the greatest degradative root activities and sustained particularly great populations of rhizosphere bacteria that are known hydrocarbon degraders. None of the crops aided the reduction of TPAHs in soil.     

Incorporation of natural hydrocarbons from plant residues into an hydromorphic humic podzol following afforestation and fertilization

The content and composition of natural hydrocarbons from plant residues (Pinus maritima sp.) of a hydromorphic humic podzol were investigated following the addition of NPK and P fertilizers. L and F layers and the A, horizon from non-fertilized and fertilized soil were analysed for total lipids and hydrocarbons, and non-linear and linear hydrocarbons. The decrease in non-linear hydrocarbons extracted following the addition of fertilizers was attributed to the incorporation of non-linear hydrocarbons into humus, rather than to their biodegradation by soil micro-organisms. Short- and medium-chain linear hydrocarbons from plant residues or of microbial origin were rapidly biodegraded or fixed by soil micro-organisms, resulting in a very low concentration in the A, horizon. In contrast, long-chain linear hydrocarbons of plant origin accumulated in the non-fertilized soil, while the addition of P fertilizer slightly stimulated their biodegradation. oration is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.     

Identification of new steroidal hydrocarbons in refined oils and the role of hydroxy sterols as possible precursors

The dehydration of sterols during the refining process of vegetable oils results in the formation of steroidal hydrocarbons (sterenes or steradienes) with two double bonds in the ring system. Other steroidal hydrocarbons whose structures were in agreement with the presence of three double bonds in the ring system were detected in the sterene fractions of refined vegetable oils. The 5alpha-, 7alpha-, and 7beta-hydroxy derivatives of cholesterol and phytosterols have been dehydrated in n-butanol/H(3)PO(4) to form steroidal hydrocarbons with three double bonds at the 2, 4, and 6 positions in the ring system. These hydrocarbons had the same relative retention time and mass spectra as those present in the sterene fractions of refined oils. The dehydration of the hydroxy sterols dissolved in extra virgin olive oil and in the presence of 1% bleaching earths at 80 degrees C for 1 h results in the formation of the same steroidal hydrocarbons found in the refined oils.     

土壤有机和无机组分对多环芳烃环境行为影响的研究进展

土壤中多环芳烃(PAHs)的环境行为取决于它们与土壤不同组分之间的相互作用。本文综述了土壤有机质、黏土矿物以及有机矿质复合体对PAHs土壤环境行为影响的研究进展,期望从土壤基本组成和性质上对PAHs的土壤环境行为有一个本质的了解。     

热活化过硫酸盐氧化污染土壤中的石油烃

石油的开采、运输、储存和使用等过程会导致一些土壤受到石油烃的污染。土壤中的石油烃会对生态安全和人类健康造成潜在危害，因此需要开展土壤修复。本研究采用热活化过硫酸钠氧化处理污染土壤中的石油烃，考察了氧化剂剂量和超声结合热活化对石油烃去除效率的影响，并对石油烃氧化产物以及氧化后土壤理化性质进行了分析。结果表明，当过硫酸钠的用量为2.4 mmol/g土壤时，石油烃的含量从3 800 mg/kg降至1 175 mg/kg，石油烃的去除效率可以达到69%。石油烃的去除效率随着氧化剂增加呈上升趋势。但当氧化剂的剂量超过2.4 mmol/g土壤时，石油烃的去除效率不再增加。使用超声结合热活化，石油烃的去除效率可以进一步提高。过硫酸盐氧化会使土壤p H显著下降，造成土壤酸化。气相色谱质谱(GC/MS)和傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)分析表明石油烃氧化后可能会生成一些醇和羧酸类含氧产物。石油烃和土壤有机质被氧化成极性小分子更易进入水相，导致水中总有机碳(TOC)含量从52.4 mg/kg增加至79.8 mg/kg。扫描电镜和粒度分析表明氧化处理会改变土壤形貌，使土壤的粒径变小。氧化导致土壤的碳、氢含量减...     

Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds in Indoor Air of Buildings in Nuclear Power Plants, Taiwan

This study investigates the composition and concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air-conditioned office space and low-level waste (LLW) repository sites of nuclear power plants located in Taiwan. Air samples were collected in the office space and technical rooms of administration buildings of the three nuclear power plants and in LLW repository site using canisters. Thirty-six toxic organic compounds including aromatics, CFCs and chlorinated hydrocarbons were identified and quantified using gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS). The results indicated that the concentrations of most determined species were similar to that in urban areas; however, the air at the LLW building contained abundant trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113), trichloroethylene, toluene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene and CFC-12 in concentrations markedly higher than the background levels. Only toluene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene were detected with low concentrations in the air of LLW repository site. In addition, comparison of the ambient air concentration at several major industries and urban atmosphere revealed that the nuclear power plants emitted and/or leaked higher concentration of chlorinated hydrocarbons among them.     

Volatilisation of aromatic hydrocarbons from soil: Part II,Fluxes from coal tar contaminated soils residing below the soil surface

The non-steady-state fluxes of aromatic hydrocarbons from coal tar contaminated soil, placed below a 5 cm deep layer of uncontaminated soil, were measured in the laboratory over a period of 53 days. The contaminated soil originated from a former gasworks site and contained concentrations of 11 selected aromatic hydrocarbons between 50 to 840 µg/cm³. Where the microbial activity was inhibited, the fluxes stabilized on a semi-steady-state level for the monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, naphthalene and 1-methylnaphthalene after a period of 10–20 days. Fluxes of acenaphthene and fluorene were only measurable in an experiment that utilized a cover soil with a low organic content. The fluxes were predicted by a numerical model assuming that the compounds acted independently of each other and that local equilibrium between the air, water, and sorbed phases existed. The model overestimated the fluxes for all the detected aromatic hydrocarbons by a factor of 1.3 to 12. When the cover soil was adapted to degrade naphthalene, the fluxes of naphthalene and 1-methylnaphthalene approached the detection limit after 5 to 8 days. Thereafter the fluxes of these two compounds were less than predicted by the model employing half-life values of 0.5 and 1 day for naphthalene and 1-methylnaphthalene respectively.     

Input and behavior of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in arable,fallow, and forest soils of the taiga zone (Tver oblast)

Contents of 11 most prevalent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in snow and soils of arable, fallow, and forest areas significantly remote from impact technogenic sources of polyarenes have been examined in the Torzhok district of Tver oblast. From the analysis of snow samples, the volumes and composition of PAHs coming from the atmosphere onto the areas of different land use have been determined. Light hydrocarbons prevail in PAHs. They make up 65–70% of total PAHs; their share in soils reaches almost 95%. An increase in the content of PAHs is revealed in fallow soils compared to arable and afforested areas. A direct relationship is revealed between the lateral distribution of total PAHs and the content of organic carbon. The distribution of total PAHs is surface-accumulative in forest soils, mainly uniform in arable soils, and deepaccumulative in fallow soils. PAH groups characterized by similar radial distributions and ratios between their reserves in snow and soils are distinguished: (1) fluorene and phenanthrene, (2) biphenyl and naphthalene, (3) benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, perylene, and benzo[a]pyrene, and (4) anthracene and benzo[ghi]pyrene.