title: Estimation of ecotoxicity of petroleum hydrocarbon mixtures in soil based on HPLC-GCXGC analysis.
abstract: Detailed HPLC-GCXGC/FID (high performance liquid chromatography followed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection) analysis of oil-contaminated soils was performed to interpret results of selected acute ecotoxicity assays. For the five ecotoxicity assays tested, plant seed germination and Microtox were selected as most sensitive for evaluating ecotoxicity of the oil in the soil phase and in the leaching water, respectively. The measured toxicity for cress when testing the soil samples did not correspond to TPH concentration in the soil. A detailed chemical composition analysis of the oil contamination using HPLC-GCXGC/FID allows to better predict the ecotoxicological risk and leaching potential of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil. Cress biomass production per plant was well correlated to the total aromatic hydrocarbon concentration (R2=0.79, n=6), while cress seed germination was correlated (R2=0.82, n=6) with total concentration of "highly water-soluble aromatic hydrocarbons" (HSaromatics). The observed ecotoxicity of the leaching water for Microtox-bacteria related well to calculated (based on the HPLC-GCXGC/FID results) petroleum hydrocarbon equilibrium concentrations in water.
authors.affiliation: Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Debin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lookman
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van De Weghe
authors.forename: Reinhilde
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weltens
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vanermen
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Brucker
authors.forename: Ludo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diels
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000633:toxicity*; D031220:Lepidium sativum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D010578:Petroleum / Q000633:toxicity*; D012639:Seeds / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D010578:Petroleum; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants