Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene And Xylene Concentrations Research Articles

Cellular damages in the Allium cepa test system, caused by BTEX mixture prior and after biodegradation process

Petroleum and derivatives have been considered one of the main environmental contaminants. Among petroleum derivatives, the volatile organic compounds benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) represent a major concern due to their toxicity and easy accumulation in groundwater. Biodegradation methods seem to be suitable tools for the clean-up of BTEX contaminants from groundwater. Genotoxic and mutagenic potential of BTEX prior and after biodegradation process was evaluated through analyses of chromosomal aberrations and MN test in meristematic and F1 root cells using the Allium cepa test system. Seeds of A. cepa were germinated into five concentrations of BTEX, non-biodegraded and biodegraded, in ultra-pure water (negative control), in MMS 4×10−4M (positive control) and in culture medium used in the biodegradation (blank biodegradation control). Results showed a significant frequency of both chromosomal and nuclear aberrations. The micronucleus (MN) frequency in meristematic cells was significant for most of tested samples. However, MN was not present in significant levels in the F1 cells, suggesting that there was no permanent damage for the meristematic cell. The BTEX effects were significantly reduced in the biodegraded samples when compared to the respective non-biodegraded concentrations. Therefore, in this study, the biodegradation process showed to be a reliable and effective alternative to treat BTEX-contaminated waters. Based on our results and available data, the BTEX toxicity could also be related to a synergistic effect of its compounds.

Microbial community analysis in the autotrophic denitrification process using spent sulfidic caustic by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of PCR-amplified genes

Spent sulfidic caustic (SSC) produced from petrochemical plants contains a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide and alkalinity, and some almost non-biodegradable organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). SSC is mainly incinerated with auxiliary fuel, leading to secondary pollution problems. The reuse of this waste is becoming increasingly important from economic and environmental viewpoints. To denitrify wastewater with low COD/N ratio, additional carbon sources are required. Thus, autotrophic denitrification has attracted increasing attention. In this study, SSC was injected as an electron donor for sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification in the modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) process. The efficiencies of nitrification, COD, and total nitrogen (TN) removal were evaluated with varying SSC dosage. Adequate SSC injection exhibited stable autotrophic denitrification. No BTEX were detected in the monitored BTEX concentrations of the effluent. To analyse the microbial community of the MLE process, PCR-DGGE based on 16 S rDNA with EUB primers, TD primers and nirK gene with nirK primers was performed in order to elucidate the application of the MLE process to SSC.

Spatial and temporal assessment of gaseous pollutants in the Highveld of South Africa

Diverse natural and anthropogenic activities in the Highveld of South Africa contribute to elevated levels of inorganic and organic gaseous pollutant species. The primary aims of this investigation were to determine spatial and temporal distributions of nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ), as well as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) in this area. Sampling was conducted on a monthly basis for a year at eight strategically selected sites. The highest NO 2 , SO 2 and BTEX concentrations were measured at sites with significant local sources and/or sites impacted by more remote sources, as indicated by overlay back trajectories. O 3 concentrations were found to be lower at sites with high levels of NO 2 , SO 2 and BTEX. NO 2 and SO 2 peaked during winter, while O 3 peaked in spring. NO 2 and SO 2 temporal concentration variations were ascribed to differences in seasonal meteorological conditions, as well as additional sources in winter. The O 3 peak coincided with a seasonal CO peak, which was identified as an important precursor for O 3 formation. No distinct seasonal trend was observed for BTEX. The annual average concentrations for SO 2 , NO 2 , O 3 and benzene were below the South African annual standards at all sites.

BTEX biodegradation by bacteria from effluents of petroleum refinery

Groundwater contamination with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) has been increasing, thus requiring an urgent development of methodologies that are able to remove or minimize the damages these compounds can cause to the environment. The biodegradation process using microorganisms has been regarded as an efficient technology to treat places contaminated with hydrocarbons, since they are able to biotransform and/or biodegrade target pollutants. To prove the efficiency of this process, besides chemical analysis, the use of biological assessments has been indicated. This work identified and selected BTEX-biodegrading microorganisms present in effluents from petroleum refinery, and evaluated the efficiency of microorganism biodegradation process for reducing genotoxic and mutagenic BTEX damage through two test-systems: Allium cepa and hepatoma tissue culture (HTC) cells. Five different non-biodegraded BTEX concentrations were evaluated in relation to biodegraded concentrations. The biodegradation process was performed in a BOD Trak Apparatus (HACH) for 20 days, using microorganisms pre-selected through enrichment. Although the biodegradation usually occurs by a consortium of different microorganisms, the consortium in this study was composed exclusively of five bacteria species and the bacteria Pseudomonas putida was held responsible for the BTEX biodegradation. The chemical analyses showed that BTEX was reduced in the biodegraded concentrations. The results obtained with genotoxicity assays, carried out with both A. cepa and HTC cells, showed that the biodegradation process was able to decrease the genotoxic damages of BTEX. By mutagenic tests, we observed a decrease in damage only to the A. cepa organism. Although no decrease in mutagenicity was observed for HTC cells, no increase of this effect after the biodegradation process was observed either. The application of pre-selected bacteria in biodegradation processes can represent a reliable and effective tool in the treatment of water contaminated with BTEX mixture. Therefore, the raw petroleum refinery effluent might be a source of hydrocarbon-biodegrading microorganisms.

Control of petroleum-hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater by intrinsic and enhanced bioremediation

In the first phase of this study, the effectiveness of intrinsic bioremediation on the containment of petroleum hydrocarbons was evaluated at a gasoline spill site. Evidences of the occurrence of intrinsic bioremediation within the BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) plume included (1) decreased BTEX concentrations; (2) depletion of dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrate, and sulfate; (3) production of dissolved ferrous iron, methane, and CO 2; (4) deceased pH and redox potential; and (5) increased methanogens, total heterotrophs, and total anaerobes, especially within the highly contaminated areas. In the second phase of this study, enhanced aerobic bioremediation process was applied at site to enhance the BTEX decay rates. Air was injected into the subsurface near the mid-plume area to biostimulate the naturally occurring microorganisms for BTEX biodegradation. Field results showed that enhanced bioremediation process caused the change of BTEX removal mechanisms from anaerobic biodegradation inside the plume to aerobic biodegradation. This variation could be confirmed by the following field observations inside the plume due to the enhanced aerobic bioremediation process: (1) increased in DO, CO 2, redox potential, nitrate, and sulfate, (2) decreased in dissolved ferrous iron, sulfide, and methane, (3) increased total heterotrophs and decreased total anaerobes. Field results also showed that the percentage of total BTEX removal increased from 92% to 99%, and the calculated total BTEX first-order natural attenuation rates increased from 0.0092% to 0.0188% per day, respectively, after the application of enhanced bioremediation system from the spill area to the downgradient area (located approximately 300 m from the source area).

Pattern of volatile aldehydes and aromatic hydrocarbons in the largest urban rainforest in the Americas

Atmospheric concentrations of aldehydes and monoaromatic hydrocarbons were determined in Tijuca Forest, the largest urban tropical forest in the Americas. The forest is a protected area, surrounded by the city of Rio de Janeiro. Data were also obtained in a commercial and a residential area for comparison. A total of 160 aldehyde samples and 60 BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylenes) samples were collected from four locations between January and August of 2008. The aldehydes were collected using C18 resin cartridges coated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a diode array UV–Vis detector, while the BTEX samples were collected using tubes of coconut charcoal, which were then extracted with dichloromethane and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). Within Tijuca Forest, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde levels were in the range of <detection limit – 5.09 ppbV and <detection limit – 4.08 ppbV, respectively. Formaldehyde concentrations strongly correlated with temperature and solar radiation. The different ratios for formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations in the forest and in the urban sites clearly suggested that carbonyl levels within the forest might have an important contribution from biogenic sources. BTEX concentrations in the forest were very low, showing that the forest acted as a sink for many pollutants. Toluene/benzene ratios in the forest were also lower than in the city, which may be attributed to the faster photochemical oxidation of toluene. These observations were indicators of the low impact of the urban area on the studied forest.

Potential use of Syntrichia ruralis for monitoring atmospheric BTEX

Many studies deal with the bioaccumulation of metals in mosses. In contrast, the knowledge about organic pollutants is less extensive and there is a relative lack of studies using plants for the biomonitoring of volatile organic compounds such as Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes (BTEX). Both in situ and in controlled conditions, this study deals with the capacity of mosses to accumulate BTEX and the BTEX exchange between the moss and the atmosphere. The variations of the concentrations of BTEX in Syntrichia ruralis did not correspond to a phenomenon of accumulation. In controlled conditions, the correlation between the concentration of benzene in moss and the atmospheric concentration indicates that the concentrations in moss would principally result from equilibrium due to the sorption?desorption balance between the moss and the environment. The variations of concentrations in moss would be influenced by short-time variations of the atmospheric pollution levels and meteorological conditions.

Development and optimisation of quantitative analytical method to determine BTEX in environmental water samples using HPLC-DAD

Petroleum contamination of groundwater and waterways is common throughout the world. Among the fuel components, BTEX compounds are most likely to reach the boreholes and pose a gross risk. The present work describes a simple, reliable analytical technique that fulfils the determination of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene isomers) in environmental water samples. The procedure was based on the purge of BTEX (a group of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) from water samples to a specific volume of acetonitrile prior to making the analysis by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photo diode array detector. The developed method was optimised using full factorial design, and the resulting optimum parameters were applied in the experiments of validation which confirm method reliability; recovery was between 94 and 106% with a maximum relative bias of 5.9%, relative standard deviation was less than 7.7% (n = 10), and limit of detection varied from 0.18 to 0.6 μg L−1. Various gas chromatographic methods are available for the analysis of VOCs, but the proposed procedure could be a good alternative choice since many of the conventional methods require time and high cost special techniques coupled with the GC instrument. This analytical method was used successfully to measure the concentrations of BTEX in both laboratory spiked samples and environmental water samples.

Use of semipermeable membrane devices for assessment of air quality in Tangier (Morocco)

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) have been used for the evaluation of the contamination of air in both the urban and the industrial area in Tangier (Morocco). Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX), 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were monitored with SPMDs, deployed in six different sites, and determined by using a microwave-assisted extraction with gel permeation chromatography (GPC) clean up for PAHs and PCBs determination; and a head-space direct measurement for BTEX. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection was employed for the identification and quantification of the aforementioned pollutants. From the obtained results, it can be seen that the urban waste deposit and the industrial area of Moghogha present the highest concentrations of BTEX and PAHs, but significantly do not contribute to the contamination of air in the Tangier urban area. PCBs were not found in any of the sampled sites.

Microbial communities and biodegradation in lab-scale BTEX-contaminated groundwater remediation using an oxygen-releasing reactive barrier

To remediate benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) -contaminated groundwater, a biotreatment process including biostimulation and bioaugmentation was simulated using oxygen-releasing reactive barriers (ORRB) and water with added BTEX in a lab-scale system. The results showed that the capability for BTEX removal decreases in the order of benzene, toluene, p-xylene, ethylbenzene for both added-nitrogen and no-added-nitrogen under BTEX concentrations at 30 mg l(-1). The removal efficiencies in ORRB systems were higher in the nitrogen-added condition for biostimulation compared with the no-nitrogen-added condition; moreover, an increased pattern for removal was observed during the bioaugmentation process. The oxygen content was found to be inversely proportional to the distance from the ORRB, as evidenced by observing that the average bacteria densities were two orders higher when located at 15 cm compared with 30 cm from the ORRB. The microbial community structure was similar in both cases of added-nitrogen and the no-added-nitrogen conditions.

Household wood heater usage and indoor leakage of BTEX in Launceston, Australia: A null result

A study has been conducted in Launceston, Australia, to determine within households with wood heaters the effect of leakage from the heater and flue on the indoor air concentrations of the pollutants: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX). The study involved three classes: 28 households without wood heaters, 19 households with wood heaters compliant with the relevant Australian Standard and 30 households with non-compliant wood heaters. Outdoor and indoor BTEX concentrations were measured in each household for 7 days during summer when there was little or no wood heater usage, and for 7 days during winter when there was widespread wood heater usage. Each participant kept a household activity diary throughout their sampling periods. For wintertime, there were no significant differences of the indoor BTEX concentrations between the three classes of households. Also there were no significant relationships between BTEX indoor concentrations within houses and several measures of the amount of wood heater use within these houses. For the households sampled in this study, the use of a wood heater within a house did not lead to BTEX release within that house and had no direct detectable influence on the concentrations of BTEX within the house. We propose that the pressure differences associated with the both the leakiness or permeability of the building envelope and the draught of the wood heater have key roles in determining whether there will be backflow of smoke from the wood heater into the house. For a leaky house with a well maintained wood heater there should be no backflow of smoke from the wood heater into the house. However backflow of smoke may occur in well sealed houses. The study also found that wood heater emissions raise the outdoor concentrations of BTEX in winter in Launceston and through the mixing of outdoor air through the building envelopes into the houses, these emissions contribute to increases in the indoor concentrations of BTEX in winter in all houses in Launceston.

Chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of solid residues produced during the co-pyrolysis of plastics and pine biomass

A mixture of 70% (w/w) pine biomass and 30% (w/w) plastics (mixture of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene) was subjected to pyrolysis at 400 °C, for 15 min, with an initial pressure of 40 MPa. Part of the solid residue produced was subjected to extraction with dichloromethane (DCM). The extracted residue (residue A) and raw residue (residue B) were analyzed by weight loss combustion and submitted to the leaching test ISO/TS 21268-2 using two different leachants: DCM (0.2%, v/v) and calcium chloride (0.001 mol/L). The concentrations of the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, Pb and Cu were determined in the eluates and in the two residues. The eluates were further characterized by determining their pH and the concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). The presence of other organic contaminants in the eluates was qualitatively evaluated by gas chromatography, coupled with mass spectrometry. An ecotoxicological characterization was also performed by using the bio-indicator Vibrio fischeri. The chemical and ecotoxicological results were analyzed according to the French proposal of Criteria on the Evaluation Methods of Waste Ecotoxicity (CEMWE). Residue A was not considered to be ecotoxic by the ecotoxicological criterion (EC 50 (30 min) ≥10%), but it was considered to be ecotoxic by the chemical criterion (Ni ≥ 0.5 mg/L). Residue B was considered to be ecotoxic by the ecotoxicological criterion: EC 50 (30 min) ≤ 10%. Besides that, residue B was considered to be hazardous according the European legislation (BTEX concentrations higher than 100 ppb). The results indicate that volatile organic contaminants can be present in sufficient amounts in these residues and their eluates to induce ecotoxicity levels. The extraction of the pyrolysis residue with DCM was an efficient method for removing lighter organic contaminants.

Biological monitoring of low benzene exposure in Italian traffic policemen

A comparative evaluation of urinary biomarkers was carried out to characterize benzene exposure in a group of 100 traffic policemen of the city of Parma (Italy). All subjects were monitored once, in two consecutive days characterized by similar climatic conditions but preceded by two windy days. Benzene ambient concentration measured by municipal air monitoring stations was 1 μg/m 3 (Day 1) and 2 μg/m 3 (Day 2). Personal exposure to ambient concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) was assessed by using Radiello ® passive-diffusive samplers in a subgroup of 24 workers. Benzene metabolites, t, t-muconic acid ( t, t-MA) and S-phenylmercapturic acid ( S-PMA) were determined by isotopic dilution liquid chromatography– tandem mass spectrometry on spot urine samples collected at the end of the shift. Urinary benzene (U-B) was determined by solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Airborne benzene concentration expressed as median [and interquartile range] was 6.07 [0.28–9.53] μg/m 3, as assessed by personal sampling. Urinary concentrations of biomarkers in the whole group were 41.8 [34.1–89.8] μg/g creatinine for t, t-MA, 0.67 [0.23–1.32] μg/g creatinine for S-PMA, and 0.16 [0.13–0.26] μg/l for U-B. Smokers eliminated significantly higher concentrations of unchanged BTEX and benzene metabolites than non-smokers ( p < 0.05). When traffic policemen were distinguished into indoor ( n = 31) and outdoor workers, no significant differences were observed for either airborne benzene or urinary biomarkers. Significantly lower concentrations of S-PMA and U-B were determined in samples collected at Day 1 as compared to Day 2 ( p < 0.0001 and p = 0.003, respectively) suggesting that these biomarkers are enough sensitive and specific to detect changes in airborne benzene concentration even at few μg/m 3.

Human health risks of petroleum-contaminated groundwater

The volatile organic compounds Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene (BTEX) are commonly found in petroleum derivatives and, at relatively high levels, can be associated with human health risks. Due to industrial activities, accidental petroleum spills are the main route of soil and groundwater contamination. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the indoor health risks due to tap water consumption contaminated by BTEX. BTEX indoor exposure can occur through three principal pathways: inhalation, ingestion and dermal absorption. A multiphase and multicomponent model was used to simulate BTEX transport in groundwater. For evaluation of human risks due to the use of contaminated tap water, a mathematical model was elaborated. BTEX concentrations in a drinking well were obtained as a function over time. These concentrations were used to obtain the exposure due to the use of water from the contaminated drinking well. In addition to showing the highest concentration in water, benzene was the compound that remained for a longer period before being completely degraded. For all the evaluated BTEX, oral ingestion was also the main pathway of exposure for adults, whereas the contribution of inhalation and oral exposition in children were seen to be of the same magnitude. The sensitivity analysis of BTEX total dose for adults showed that direct ingestion was the most significant factor, followed by shower time, volume of the shower room, inhalation rate, and shower flow rate. For children, the most significant variable was also direct ingestion, followed by shower time, volume of the shower room, and body weight. In the current design situation, there would not be any health risks by the use of BTEX-contaminated water to the general population living in the neighborhood of the petroleum spill. Therefore, no remediation measures in the area of the spill would be necessary. The present results indicate that the design of a good scenario can perform an accuracy risk assessment. This model can serve as a useful tool for predicting indoor exposure to substances for which no direct data are available, reducing monitoring efforts and observing how different processes affect outcomes. These preliminary data allow the establishment of a basis for further investigations focusing on efficiently recovering petroleum from contaminated sites.

Spatial and temporal variation of BTEX in the urban atmosphere of Delhi, India

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) form an important group of aromatic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) because of their role in the tropospheric chemistry and the risk posed by them to human health. Concentrations of BTEX were determined at different sampling points in the ambient air of Delhi in order to investigate their temporal and spatial distributions. Significant positive correlation coefficient ( p < 0.01) was found between inter-species concentrations at all the sampling locations. Inter-species ratio and Pearson's correlations indicate that gasoline vehicular exhaust could be the major source of BTEX in Delhi. The inter-species ratios exhibit clear seasonal variations indicating differential reactivity of the VOC species in different seasons. Xylenes were found the largest contributor to the ozone formation followed by toluene.

An analysis of synergistic and antagonistic behavior during BTEX removal in batch system using response surface methodology

The removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) as quaternary mixtures were studied in batch systems using a well-defined mixed microbial culture. The synergistic and antagonistic effects of total BTEX removal (BTEX T-RE) due to the presence of mixed substrate was evaluated through experiments designed by response surface methodology (RSM). The low and high concentrations of individual BTEX were 15 and 75 mg l −1, respectively. The results showed that, increasing the concentration of xylene increased the cumulative BTEX removal (BTEX T-RE), however the reverse occurred when benzene concentrations were increased from low to high levels. A mixed response of increasing and decreasing trend in the BTEX T-RE value was observed when either of toluene or ethylbenzene concentration was increased. When the concentrations of individual BTEX compounds were 30 mg l −1, the BTEX T-RE was about 58%. Complete BTEX T-RE was achieved at optimal BTEX concentrations of 48.1, 45.6, 49.3 and 56.6 mg l −1. The RSM approach was found efficient in explaining the main, squared and interaction effects among individual BTEX concentrations on the BTEX T-RE in a more statistically meaningful way.

Assessing air quality inside vehicles and at filling stations by monitoring benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes with the use of semipermeable devices

BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) were used as target molecules to evaluate the quality of air inside motor vehicles and near filling stations, using semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as low-cost passive sampling devices. A direct, fast, simple methodology based on the use of headspace-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry detection (HS-GC–MS) was developed for BTEX determinations, without any sample pre-treatment. SPMDs (25.4 cm 2 surface, filled with 100 μL triolein) were employed as static samplers. After the selected deployment time, the SPMDs were heated inside a HS vial at 150 °C for 20 min and BTEX compounds were determined by GC–MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode in less than 12 min. The proposed method provides limits of detection of less than 1 ng SPMD −1 for all compounds studied; which is equivalent to 0.3–8 ng m −3 in air for a deployment time of 24 h, and to 9–200 μg m −3 for 10 min time, as a function of the compound considered. Using sampling times of around 24 h, concentrations from 0.2 to 145 μg m −3 were measured inside motor vehicles. For exposure times from 2 to 40 min, concentrations of BTEX ranging from 0.03 to 79 mg m −3 were measured at filling stations, especially during refueling of vehicles with gasoline.

Risk factors for increased BTEX exposure in four Australian cities

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) are common volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in urban airsheds. Elevated levels of VOCs have been reported in many airsheds at many locations, particularly those associated with industrial activity, wood heater use and heavy traffic. Exposure to some VOCs has been associated with health risks. There have been limited investigations into community exposures to BTEX using personal monitoring to elucidate the concentrations to which members of the community may be exposed and the main contributors to that exposure. In this cross sectional study we investigated BTEX exposure of 204 non-smoking, non-occupationally exposed people from four Australian cities. Each participant wore a passive BTEX sampler over 24 h on five consecutive days in both winter and summer and completed an exposure source questionnaire for each season and a diary for each day of monitoring. The geometric mean (GM) and range of daily BTEX concentrations recorded for the study population were benzene 0.80 (0.04–23.8 ppb); toluene 2.83 (0.03–2120 ppb); ethylbenzene 0.49 (0.03–119 ppb); and xylenes 2.36 (0.04–697 ppb). A generalised linear model was used to investigate significant risk factors for increased BTEX exposure. Activities and locations found to increase personal exposure included vehicle repair and machinery use, refuelling of motor vehicles, being in an enclosed car park and time spent undertaking arts and crafts. A highly significant difference was found between the mean exposures in each of the four cities, which may be explained by differences in fuel composition, differences in the mix and density of industry, density of motor vehicles and air pollution meteorology.

Indoor and outdoor carbonyl compounds and BTEX in the hospitals of Guangzhou, China

Indoor and outdoor concentration levels of 21 carbonyl compounds and five BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes) were measured in four hospitals of Guangzhou from 2nd January to 20th March 2004. Samples were collected in five consecutive daytimes for each hospital. Among most of the samples, acetone was the most abundant carbonyl, followed by acetaldehyde, 2-butanone or formaldehyde. Toluene was the most abundant BTEX and the others were at similar levels. The relatively higher acetone concentrations might have resulted from the high level of background in Guangzhou area due to emission of the factories and LPG-fuel vehicles, and also for the special weather conditions during sampling time. The high concentration of acetaldehyde, which was even higher than that of formaldehyde, might be resulted from the wide use of ethanol in hospital. The partial oxidation of ethanol may form acetaldehyde. The indoor concentrations of carbonyls and BTEX were found a little higher than their outdoor counterparts with only a few exceptions, which showed the anthropogenic sources for these compounds. The low correlations between most carbonyls and BTEX concentrations might be caused by their complex sources. Finally, the human exposure levels of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in hospitals are discussed.

Influence of three species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the persistence of aromatic hydrocarbons in contaminated substrates

Aromatic hydrocarbons are pollutants which have mutagenic and carcinogenic properties as well as relatively high hydrosolubility. Their presence in soils makes techniques such as bioremediation an important topic for research. In this work, the effect of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) on the persistence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) in artificially contaminated substrates was evaluated. Leek plants were grown with three AM fungal species using a specially designed mesocosm system, in which internal air and substrate samples were analyzed by gas chromatography for BTEX content. Strong reductions in the BTEX concentration in substrates were generally observed in the presence of mycorrhizal plants. Residual BTEX content ranged between nearly total disappearance (<2%) and 40% of the original concentration, whereas there was a high persistence of hydrocarbons in the samples of substrate alone or with non-mycorrhizal plants. These results provide first evidence for an influence of AM activity in reducing pollution of substrates by aromatic hydrocarbons.