Partition of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans distribution in water in both suspended solid and dissolved phases

Abstract

The contents of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were measured in soil and water impacted by a chemical factory (chloralkali and pentachlorophenol) and both the PCDD/F contents in soil (14.4 μ g I-TEQ kg⁻¹) and water (11.97 pg I-TEQ L⁻¹) were heavily contaminated. Additionally, the PCDD/F distributions in the aquatic environment (suspended solid and dissolved phases) were investigated by performing a water tank experiment with 30 g of soil and 20 L of water. Moreover, the effects of PCDD/F distributions in water were estimated base on three soil sizes (26, 180 and 250 μ m). Analytical results indicated that the PCDD/F content in the suspended solid and dissolved phases was 2.19 μ g I-TEQ kg⁻¹ and 2.34 pg I-TEQ L⁻¹, respectively, or 85.11% and 14.89%, respectively. The PCDD/F distribution in the suspended solid phase was dominant, while its distribution was independent of soil size. Additionally, placing soil with a high PCDD/F content in water increased the PCDD/F content in suspended solid phase. Moreover, the equation developed in this study can accurately predict the PCDD/F partition between the suspended solid and dissolved phases.

Keywords:

• Partitions
• PCDD/Fs
• distribution
• suspended solid/dissolved phase

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Mr. Jian-Yuan Yu for his help in the analysis.

Notes

∗ SS (suspended solids).

∗Suspended solid contents in the water (mg L⁻¹).

∗∗SS (suspended solids) (μ g kg⁻¹).

∗Suspended solid contents in the water (mg L⁻¹).

∗∗ SS (suspended solids) (μ g kg⁻¹).

∗ SS (suspended solids).

∗Log Koc: calculated from equation (1). %OC: 0.860% (average from small size soil: 0.857%; medium size soil: 0.821%; large size soil: 0.902%).