A method for using polyethylene passive samplers to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon chemical activity in sediments

In order to aid in the determination of the hazards posed by hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) in sediment beds, a method for the use of polyethylene (PE) sheets as passive sampling devices for measuring chemical activities was explored. A model which depends on a concentration gradient and two mass transfer limiting zones in series was used. Internal tracer chemicals within the polyethylene devices (PEDs) were used to calibrate the mass transfer model which can have different mass transfer coefficients depending on the site and target chemicals being investigated. The model allowed for the measurement of HOC chemical activities by measuring the change of mass of tracer and target chemical within the PED, and knowing the PE-water partitioning coefficient, ..., and the liquid solubility, ..., of the target chemical. The method was tested using PEDs impregnated with dlO-phenanthrene and dlO-pyrene. First, PEDs were used to measure known concentrations of phenanthrene and fluoranthene in stirred seawaters. Seeing that the PEDs performed well, returning results which were within 25% of the known chemical activities, PEDs were then tested for measuring phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene in Boston Harbor sediments.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Fernandez, Loretta A. (Loretta Ana)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Philip M. Gschwend.

• Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33699

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/33699