title: Mapping polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and total toxicity equivalent soil concentrations by visible and near-infrared spectroscopy.
abstract: In this study, we used data from spectroscopic models based on visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR; 350-2500 nm) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to develop soil maps of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and total toxicity equivalent concentrations (TTEC) of the PAH mixture. The TTEC maps were then used for hazard assessment of three petroleum release sites in the Niger Delta province of Nigeria (5.317°N, 6.467°E). As the paired t-test revealed, there were non-significant (p > 0.05) differences between soil maps of PAH and TTEC developed with chemically measured and vis-NIR-predicted data. Comparison maps of PAH showed a slight to moderate agreement between measured and predicted data (Kappa coefficient = 0.19-0.56). Using proposed generic assessment criteria, hazard assessment showed that the degree of action for site-specific risk assessment and/or remediation is similar for both measurement methods. This demonstrates that the vis-NIR method may be useful for monitoring hydrocarbon contamination in a petroleum release site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL Bedfordshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Reuben N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Okparanma
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL Bedfordshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coulon
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL Bedfordshire, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL Bedfordshire, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.mouazen@cranfield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Abdul M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mouazen
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants
keywords: Generic assessment criteria; Hydrocarbon; Mapping; Near-infrared spectroscopy