Effect of temperature on the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil and sediment

Abstract

The knowledge of sorption-desorption processes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in natural solids is essential to predict the fate, transport, and environmental risks of these pollutants. In this study, the effect was investigated of temperature on the sorption-desorption of three PAHs (naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene) in two natural solids with different organic carbon contents. In all cases, the sorption isotherms obtained could be well described by the linear sorption model. The analysis based on the measured isotherms and the corresponding equilibrium partition coefficients (K p) revealed that (1) the sorption of PAHs increased with organic carbon contentor the solid and PAH hydrophobicityinthe order: sediment < soil and naphthalene < phenanthrene