Mixed Contamination of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons and Metals at Manufactured Gas Plant Sites: Toxicity and Implications to Bioremediation - Environmental Contamination: Health Risks and Ecological Restoration - page 354

TABLE 16.3
Reported.Concentrations.of.the.PAHs.and.Metals.Found.in.the.
MGP.Site.Soil

Concentration
Range(mg/kg)

Concentration
Range(mg/kg) PAH Metal

Acenaphthene 50-222 Lead 88-671

Acenaphthylene 50-623 Cadmium 8-112

Anthracene 55-181 Zinc 64-488

Benz(a)anthracene 66-82 a Chromium 33-379

Benzo(a)pyrene 58-738 Copper 18-57

Benzo(b)luoranthene 31-33 a Arsenic 5-9

Benzo(g,h,i)perylene 23-30 a Manganese 52-181

Benzo(k)luoranthene 4.8-33 a Nickel 10-230

Chrysene 33-748 a

Dibenz(a,h)
anthracene

9.1 a

Dibenzofuran 7.7 a

Fluoranthene 55-1245

Fluorene 25-726

Indeno(1,2,3-cd)
pyrene

12-21 a

Naphthalene 51-660

Phenanthrene 52-2738

Pyrene 55-1357

Source: . Thavamani,.et.al.,. Environ. Int .,.37,.184,.2011.
a. Reddy.et.al..(2006).

metals.and.PAHs.are.frequently.found.together.as.contaminants.in.soils.and.
groundwater. at. sites. of. industrial. operations. (Figure. 16.2). such. as. MGPs,.
wood. treatment,. metal. inishing,. petroleum. reining,. and. paint. and. auto-
mobile. manufacturing. plants. (Mueller. et. al.. 1989,. Luthy. 1994,. Kong. 1998,.
Fischer.et.al..1999,.Knight.et.al..1999)..Former.MGPs.thus.serve.as.the.typical.
examples.for.sites.with.mixed.contaminants.that.contain.both.heavy.metals.
and.PAHs.
The.PAHs,.consisting.of.more.than.100.organic.compounds,.contain.two.
or. more. fused. aromatic. rings. and. are. released. into. the. environment. dur-
ing. incomplete. combustion.. They. have. high. melting. and. boiling. points,.
low.vapor.pressure,.high.lipophilicity,.and.very.low.solubility.in.water..The.
PAHs,.with.their.higher.molecular.weight,.are.hydrophobic.and.bind.strongly.
to. soil. particles. and. have. low. solubility.. These. heavier. PAHs. are. therefore.
generally.found.at.higher.concentrations.near.the.source.of.contamination,.
particularly.in.surface.soils..The.lighter.and.more.soluble.PAHs.(e.g.,.naph-
thalene).are.frequently.detected.in.groundwater,.although.volatilization.and.
leaching.losses.reduce.their.concentrations.in. surface.soils.. Although.their.
acute.toxic.effect.is.considered.to.be.moderate.to.low,.their.afinity.to.lipids.