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Absorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to cellulose
1Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80177, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands. c.jonker@iras.uu.nl
Chemosphere
|August 29, 2007
Summary
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) sorption to cellulose was studied. Results show cellulose has low affinity for PAHs, suggesting it is not a major environmental sink for these toxic chemicals.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are prevalent toxic pollutants.
- Their environmental distribution is influenced by sorption to soil and sediment organic matter.
- Cellulose is a globally abundant organic compound, yet its role in PAH sorption is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the sorption behavior of a wide range of PAHs to cellulose.
- To quantify the affinity of PAHs for cellulose compared to other environmental matrices.
Main Methods:
- Sorption isotherms were measured for 13 different PAHs.
- PAH hydrophobicity was varied across a broad spectrum.
- Sorption affinities were compared to octanol, black carbon, and coal.
Main Results:
- PAH sorption to cellulose follows a linear partition process for all tested compounds.
- Cellulose exhibited significantly lower affinity for PAHs compared to octanol (400x lower) and black carbon/coal (up to 300,000x lower).
Conclusions:
- Cellulose demonstrates a limited capacity for sorbing PAHs.
- Considering its high production rate, cellulose is unlikely to be a primary environmental reservoir for PAHs.
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