136 Organic compounds in soils, sediments & sludges
Miscellaneous
Saber et al [82] reported on the quantitative determination of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in extracts of lacustrine sediments using high resolution Shpol’skii spectrofluorimetry at 10
◦ K.
Garrigues and Emald et al [13] give details of a procedure for the determination of polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons in sediment samples by high resolution
spectrofluorimetry in n-alkane matrices.
Lee et al [15] used UV spectroscopy to identify polyaromatic hydrocarbons in river
sediments. The procedure involved the collection of sediments, air drying in the dark,
sieving, and extraction for organic content. This was followed by column chromatography (silica gel with cyclohexane as eluent), followed by a second chromatographic
step with Sephadex LH-20 and propan-2-ol eluent. The eluate was then concentrated under vacuum and prepared for ultraviolet analysis. Vowles and Mantoura
et al [7] determined sediment-water partition coefficient and the high performance
liquid chromatography capacity factors for 14 alkylbenzene and polycyclicaromatic
hydrocarbons. The partition coefficients correlated well with the alkylcyano capacity
factors, and it was concluded that this phase gave a better indication of sorption on
sediment than either the octanol or octadecylsilane phases.
Keith et al [83] and Reijnders et al [84] reviewed applications of gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry to sediment analysis.
Anthropogenic compounds
Following an aviation kerosine spill, hydrocarbons were detected in trout stream sediments and fish up to 14 months after the spill. After a fire at a weed treatment plant in
1970 a large area of mixed forested ecosystem became contaminated with creosote. The
effects of this contamination at four sites in the Bayou were investigated [85]. Tabulated
data are included on the concentrations of a number of polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon compounds in sediment and water at the study sites, on selected physic-chemical
properties of the sediment, and on microbenthic and meiobenthic communities at these
sites. It was demonstrated that the high polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in the sediments had adversely affected micro- and meiobenthic communities at
all trophic levels, as well as affecting sediment properties. With increasing concentrations of creosote, detrital accumulation increased and redox potentials became more
oxidising; these phenomena were related to reductions in specific biomass of fungi and
bacteria.
High polycyclicaromatic concentrations in stream sediments adversely affected
micro- and meiobenthic communities at all trophic levels. Stein et al [86] have studied
the uptake by bethnic fish (English sole, Parophrys vetulus) of benzopyrene and polychlorinated biphenyls from sediments. Accumulation of contaminants from sediments
was a significant route of uptake by English sole.
Gas chromatography
Gas chromatography has been used to distinguish between fossil fuels added to sediments through oil pollution and those hydrocarbons present in low concentrations as
natural biogenic products (Blumer and Sass et al [8] Farrington and Quinn et al [87]).
Miscellaneous
Saber et al [82] reported on the quantitative determination of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in extracts of lacustrine sediments using high resolution Shpol’skii spectrofluorimetry at 10
◦ K.
Garrigues and Emald et al [13] give details of a procedure for the determination of polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons in sediment samples by high resolution
spectrofluorimetry in n-alkane matrices.
Lee et al [15] used UV spectroscopy to identify polyaromatic hydrocarbons in river
sediments. The procedure involved the collection of sediments, air drying in the dark,
sieving, and extraction for organic content. This was followed by column chromatography (silica gel with cyclohexane as eluent), followed by a second chromatographic
step with Sephadex LH-20 and propan-2-ol eluent. The eluate was then concentrated under vacuum and prepared for ultraviolet analysis. Vowles and Mantoura
et al [7] determined sediment-water partition coefficient and the high performance
liquid chromatography capacity factors for 14 alkylbenzene and polycyclicaromatic
hydrocarbons. The partition coefficients correlated well with the alkylcyano capacity
factors, and it was concluded that this phase gave a better indication of sorption on
sediment than either the octanol or octadecylsilane phases.
Keith et al [83] and Reijnders et al [84] reviewed applications of gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry to sediment analysis.
Anthropogenic compounds
Following an aviation kerosine spill, hydrocarbons were detected in trout stream sediments and fish up to 14 months after the spill. After a fire at a weed treatment plant in
1970 a large area of mixed forested ecosystem became contaminated with creosote. The
effects of this contamination at four sites in the Bayou were investigated [85]. Tabulated
data are included on the concentrations of a number of polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon compounds in sediment and water at the study sites, on selected physic-chemical
properties of the sediment, and on microbenthic and meiobenthic communities at these
sites. It was demonstrated that the high polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in the sediments had adversely affected micro- and meiobenthic communities at
all trophic levels, as well as affecting sediment properties. With increasing concentrations of creosote, detrital accumulation increased and redox potentials became more
oxidising; these phenomena were related to reductions in specific biomass of fungi and
bacteria.
High polycyclicaromatic concentrations in stream sediments adversely affected
micro- and meiobenthic communities at all trophic levels. Stein et al [86] have studied
the uptake by bethnic fish (English sole, Parophrys vetulus) of benzopyrene and polychlorinated biphenyls from sediments. Accumulation of contaminants from sediments
was a significant route of uptake by English sole.
Gas chromatography
Gas chromatography has been used to distinguish between fossil fuels added to sediments through oil pollution and those hydrocarbons present in low concentrations as
natural biogenic products (Blumer and Sass et al [8] Farrington and Quinn et al [87]).