Predicting PAH Bioaccumulation and Toxicity in Earthworms Exposed to Manufactured Gas Plant Soils with Solid-Phase Microextraction
- 27 September 2007
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Environmental Science & Technology
- Vol. 41 (21), 7472-7478
- https://doi.org/10.1021/es070404s
Abstract
Soils from former manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites are often heavily contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Current risk assessment methods that rely on total PAH concentrations likely overstate adverse effects of such soils since bioavailability is ignored. In this study, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) was applied to estimate bioavailable PAH concentrations and toxicity in earthworms exposed to 15 MGP soils. In addition, PAH sorption to all soils (Koc values) was determined. The results showed a several orders of magnitude variation in Koc values, demonstrating that generic organic carbon-normalized sorption coefficients will typically be overconservative at MGP sites. SPME-predicted bioaccumulation generally was within a factor of 10 of measured bioac cumulation (in earthworm bioassays), in contrast to current risk assessment model estimates that overpredicted bioaccumulation 10−10 000 times. Furthermore, on the basis of estimated total body residues of narcotic PAHs, SPME correctly predicted worm mortality observed during bioassays in the majority of cases. For MGP sites where current risk assessment procedures indicate concerns, SPME thus provides a useful tool for performing a refined, site-specific assessment.This publication has 15 references indexed in Scilit:
- Role of Weathered Coal Tar Pitch in the Partitioning of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Manufactured Gas Plant Site SedimentsEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2006
- Black carbon: The reverse of its dark sideChemosphere, 2006
- Solid-Phase Microextraction To Predict Bioavailability and Accumulation of Organic Micropollutants in Terrestrial Organisms after Exposure to a Field-Contaminated SoilEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2004
- Chemical and biological availability of sediment‐sorbed hydrophobic organic contaminantsEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 1999
- Mechanistic approach for estimating bioconcentration of organic chemicals in earthworms (oligochaeta)Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 1998
- Sequestration of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants by GeosorbentsEnvironmental Science & Technology, 1997
- Estimating total body residues and baseline toxicity of complex organic mixtures in effluents and surface watersEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 1997
- Rethinking a national instituteEnvironmental Science & Technology, 1997
- Quantitative Determination of Total Molar Concentrations of Bioaccumulatable Organic Micropollutants in Water Using C18 Empore Disk and Molar Detection TechniquesAnalytical Chemistry, 1996
- Enhancing ecotoxicological modeling and assessment. Body Residues and Modes Of Toxic ActionEnvironmental Science & Technology, 1993