Sorption of chlorinated C-1- and C-2-hydrocarbons and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on sea sediment

The sorption of chlorinated C-1- and C-2-hydrocarbons and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on sea sediment was studied with a miscible displacement technique. Detection was done either by on-line UV-detection or off-line GC-analysis. Equilibrium partitioning coefficients between the salt water phase and the marine sediment were determined for 11 compounds by fitting their breakthrough curves to a local sorption equilibrium model. Based on the obtained partitioning coefficients and on the measurement of the organic carbon content of the sediment, the sorption into the organic carbon fraction was considered. Log K-oc data (K-oc = organic carbon-water partitioning coefficient) were calculated. A linear relationship between the log K-oc values and the log K-ow data (K-ow = octanol-water partitioning coefficient) was found (r = 0.94, n = 11). However, the sorption was lower than expected from the log K-ow data. Finally, the implications of the experimental results for the sorption behaviour of the compounds in the marine environment were evaluated. It was concluded that the sea sediment does not act as an important sink for these anthropogenic compounds. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd