Possible interactions of insoluble organic geopolymers (kerogen) with organic compounds in the aquatic environment—I. Interaction with fatty acid methyl esters

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was designed to evaluate the role of kerogen as a carrier and agent of transformation for other organic compounds in aquatic environments. This paper deals with the results of a study of the interaction of kerogens with fatty acid methyl esters (FAMes). Kerogens were isolated from a river (polluted) and a lake (non-polluted) sediment and examined for the extent of their interaction with both saturated and unsaturated FAMes at different concentrations and temperatures (20 and 60°C). A significant amount of FAMes was incorporated into the kerogens under the experimental conditions used. The saturated FAMes were almost completely recoverable by organic solvent extraction. The unsaturated FAMes reacted rapidly with the lake kerogen, and were not recovered by organic solvent extraction. In contrast, they reacted to a lesser extent with the river kerogens. The differences in reactivity between the lake and river kerogens is interpreted in terms of kerogen formation and development history.