Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different size fractions of soil from a coke oven plant and its relationship to organic carbon content

Abstract

The concentrations of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in US EPA priority list were analyzed in the bulk and six particle size fractions of soil samples from a coke oven plant. The relationships of PAHs concentrations with total organic carbon (TOC), black carbon (BC) and other forms of organic carbon (OC) contents have been investigated. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 6.27 to 40.18 mg kg −1 dry weight. The highest total PAH concentration occurred in the 250–500 μm size fraction. The maximum individual PAH concentration was in the 250–500 μm or 500–2000 μm size fraction. The size fractions of 125–500 μm and <50 μm have higher percentages and contributed 24.62% and 23.33% of the total PAH mass, respectively. The relative abundance of individual PAH compounds and PAH molecular indices present typical characteristic pyrogenic origin. The maximal TOC and BC contents were found in the 125–250 μm size fraction. Strong positive linear relationship between total PAH concentration and TOC or BC has been demonstrated, with a linear regression coefficient value of 0.7277 and 0.9245, respectively. The linear relationship between total PAH concentration versus OC (OC = TOC − BC) is weaker than that versus TOC or BC, with a correlation coefficient of 0.4117. It indicates that partitioned in organic matter, especially in black carbon is the dominant form of PAHs in the soil.