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- Arp, Hans Peter H., et al.
(författare)
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Predicting Pore Water EPA-34 PAH Concentrations and Toxicity in Pyrogenic-Impacted Sediments Using Pyrene Content
- 2011
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Technology. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0013-936X .- 1520-5851. ; 45:12, s. 5139-5146
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sediment and freely dissolved pore water concentrations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's list of 34 alkyl and parent PAHs (EPA-34) were measured in 335 sediment samples from 19 different sites impacted by manufactured gas plants, aluminum smelters and other pyrogenic sources. The total EPA-34 freely dissolved pore water concentration, C(pw,EPA-34), expressed as toxic units (TU) is currently considered one of the most accurate measures to assess risk at such sites; however, it is very seldom measured. With this data set, we address how accurately C(pw,EPA-34) can be estimated using limited 16 parent PAH data (EPA-16) commonly available for such sites. An exhaustive statistical analysis of the obtained data validated earlier observations that PAHs with more than 3 rings are present in similar relative abundances and their partitioning behavior typically follows Raoult's law and models developed for coal tar. As a result, sediment and freely dissolved pore water concentrations of pyrene and other 3- and 4-ring PAT-Is exhibit good log log correlations (r(2) > 0.8) to most individual EPA-34 PAHs and also to C(pw,EPA,34). Correlations improve further by including the ratio of high to low molecular weight PAHs, as 2-ring PAT-Is exhibit the most variability in terms of their relative abundance. The most practical result of the current work is that log Cpw,EPA-34 estimated by the recommended pyrene-based estimation techniques was similarly well correlated to % survival of the benthic amphipods Hyalella azteca and Leptocheirus plumulosus as directly measured log Cpw, (EPA-34) values (n = 211). Incorporation of the presented C(pw,EPA-34) estimation techniques could substantially improve risk assessments and guidelines for sediments impacted by pyrogenic residues, especially when limited data are available, without requiring any extra data or measurement costs.
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