Chapter 6
Organic compounds in non-saline
sediments
The types of organic compounds found in river and lake sediments include aliphatic
hydrocarbons [1–6, 95–92], aromatic hydrocarbons [1–9], polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [10–15, 70–72, 75–83], phenols [16, 93–97 221], carboxylic acids [17,
98–107], phthalate esters [16, 18, 109], aldehydes [108], carbohydrates [19, 201, 201,
202], volatile chloroaliphatics [13, 21–26, 28, 34, 38, 57, 72, 115–119, 182–185],
non-volatile chloroaliphatics [27–33, 82, 185], chlorophenols, [34, 35], polychlorobiphenyls [35–37, 40, 122–124, 128, 130–133, 222], chlorinated dioxins, [46, 136,
138–142], diazo nitrogen aromatics [148], alkyl and aryl phosphates [56, 158–161],
adenosine phosphate [42], humic and fulvic acids [47, 198, 199], detergents, [51–54],
organophosphorus insecticide [43–45, 162, 163], organo chlorine insecticides [120,
121, 166–186], azine type herbicides, [187–191, 193–195], carbamate type herbicides [49, 196, 197], phenoxy acetic acid type herbicides [48–50, 87], EPA priority
pollutants [51–54], organosulphur compounds [150–151].
Concentrations of substances that have been found in various types of sediments
one listed in Table 6.1.
Methods that have been used for the determination of organic compounds in the
sediments originating in non-saline freshwaters are reviewed in Table 6.2. The major
techniques reviewed below include gas chromatography in some cases using a mass
spectrometer to identify and determine the organics, variants on the gas chromatographic technique including pyrolysis gas chromatography and purge and trap gas
chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, ion-pair chromatography
and supercritical fluid chromatography also ultraviolet and fluorescence spectroscopy
and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Where available detection limits of the techniques are quoted. These can be as low
as 0.00001 mg kg
−1 in the case of high performance liquid chromatography of polycyclicaromates hydrocarbons but, more typically, are in the range 0.001–0.5 mg kg
−1 .
Methods for the determination of a wide range of organic compounds in non-saline
sediments are now discussed.
6.1 POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
Various workers have employed microwave assisted extraction to separate polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorobiphenyls from sediments [70–73].
Lopez-Avila et al [70] have described a microwave assisted extraction procedure for the separation of polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons from sediments. Tan
Organic compounds in non-saline
sediments
The types of organic compounds found in river and lake sediments include aliphatic
hydrocarbons [1–6, 95–92], aromatic hydrocarbons [1–9], polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [10–15, 70–72, 75–83], phenols [16, 93–97 221], carboxylic acids [17,
98–107], phthalate esters [16, 18, 109], aldehydes [108], carbohydrates [19, 201, 201,
202], volatile chloroaliphatics [13, 21–26, 28, 34, 38, 57, 72, 115–119, 182–185],
non-volatile chloroaliphatics [27–33, 82, 185], chlorophenols, [34, 35], polychlorobiphenyls [35–37, 40, 122–124, 128, 130–133, 222], chlorinated dioxins, [46, 136,
138–142], diazo nitrogen aromatics [148], alkyl and aryl phosphates [56, 158–161],
adenosine phosphate [42], humic and fulvic acids [47, 198, 199], detergents, [51–54],
organophosphorus insecticide [43–45, 162, 163], organo chlorine insecticides [120,
121, 166–186], azine type herbicides, [187–191, 193–195], carbamate type herbicides [49, 196, 197], phenoxy acetic acid type herbicides [48–50, 87], EPA priority
pollutants [51–54], organosulphur compounds [150–151].
Concentrations of substances that have been found in various types of sediments
one listed in Table 6.1.
Methods that have been used for the determination of organic compounds in the
sediments originating in non-saline freshwaters are reviewed in Table 6.2. The major
techniques reviewed below include gas chromatography in some cases using a mass
spectrometer to identify and determine the organics, variants on the gas chromatographic technique including pyrolysis gas chromatography and purge and trap gas
chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, ion-pair chromatography
and supercritical fluid chromatography also ultraviolet and fluorescence spectroscopy
and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Where available detection limits of the techniques are quoted. These can be as low
as 0.00001 mg kg
−1 in the case of high performance liquid chromatography of polycyclicaromates hydrocarbons but, more typically, are in the range 0.001–0.5 mg kg
−1 .
Methods for the determination of a wide range of organic compounds in non-saline
sediments are now discussed.
6.1 POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
Various workers have employed microwave assisted extraction to separate polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorobiphenyls from sediments [70–73].
Lopez-Avila et al [70] have described a microwave assisted extraction procedure for the separation of polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons from sediments. Tan