Development of the Risk Assessment and Management Strategies for TPH-Contaminated Sites Using TPH Fraction Methods

Abstract

AbstractPetroleum hydrocarbon–contaminated soil and groundwater is a worldwide environmental problem, which results in environmental hazard and human health risk problems. Because petroleum is a complex composition mixture rather than a single compound, health risk assessment for a petroleum hydrocarbon–contaminated site is a complicated process. In this study, a modified total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) fraction method was applied to determine the health risk level for each TPH fraction. The concentrations and toxicity data of total of 13 TPH fraction categories were evaluated and used for risk calculation. Results show that up to 1,772 mg/kg of TPH concentration was observed in soils collected from the studied site. Results indicate that benzene was the most concerning chemical that appeared in TPH. The calculated cancer risk for benzene was 4.48×10−7, which was lower than the minimum total cancer risk level (1×10−6). The calculated hazard quotient for the noncarcinogenic compounds was slightly highe...