Organic compounds in an industrial waste water: Their transport into sediments

Lopez-Avila, V; Hites, RA

HERO ID

4942968

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year

1980

Language

English

HERO ID 4942968
In Press No
Year 1980
Title Organic compounds in an industrial waste water: Their transport into sediments
Authors Lopez-Avila, V; Hites, RA
Journal Environmental Science & Technology
Volume 14
Issue 11
Page Numbers 1382–1390
Abstract The wastewater from a small speciality chemicals manufacturing plant located on the Pawtuxet River (Rhode Island, USA) has contaminated the water and sediment of that river, the Pawtuxet Cove, the Providence River, and (to a lesser extent) the Narragansett Bay. Since the compounds found in this system cover a wide range of functionalities, polarities, and water solubilities, a detailed study of this system has allowed us to assess the environmental behavior of several compound types in one aquatic system. We find that the aqueous concentrations of the various compounds follow the rules of simple dilution and that those compounds with the highest octanol-water partition coefficients (log P) are strongly associated with the particulate matter in the water and are found in the sediment at the greatest distance from the plant. The sediment concentrations (C) of a given compound can be predicted from its log P value and from its concentration in the wastewater (Co) by log (Cq/C) = bo + h2(dist/log P) where dist is the distance of the sediment sample from the plant and b0 and t>2 are constants fitted to the data.
Doi 10.1021/es60171a007
Wosid WOS:A1980KN44000019
Is Certified Translation No
Dupe Override No
Is Public Yes
Language Text English
Keyword Chemical wastes; Industrial wastes; Organic compounds; Sediments; Rhode Island; Path of pollutants; Water pollution; Pollutants; Analytical techniques; Chemical industry; Pollutant identification; Pawtuxet River; Narragansett Bay; Water analysis; Providence River; Waste water