title: Relationships between nuclear magnetic resonance parameters used to characterize weathering spilled oil and soil toxicity in central Patagonia.
abstract: Oil spill in the Central Patagonian zone was studied to evaluate if any relationship exists between the parameters used to characterize weathering spilled oil and soil toxicity for two plant species and to evaluate if the phytotoxicity to local species would be a good index for the soil contamination. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structural indexes and column chromatography compositional indexes were determined to characterize the oil spill in the soil samples. Bioassays were also carried out using Lactuca sativa L (reference) and Atriplex lampa (native species) as test organisms. Measurements of the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil were carried out to evaluate the effect on the bioassays. The principal components analysis of the parameters determined by NMR, compositional indexes, EC, TPH, and toxicology data shows that the first three principal components accounted for the 78% of the total variance (40%, 25%, and 13% for the first, second, and third PC, respectively). A good agreement was found between information obtained by compositional indexes and NMR structural indexes. Soil toxicity increases with the increase of EC and TPH. Other factors, such as, the presence of branched and aromatic hydrocarbons is also significant. The statistical evaluation showed that the Euclidean distances (3D) between the background and each one of the samples might be a better indicator of the soil contamination, compared with chemical criterion of TPH.
authors.forename: Stella Maris
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ríos
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barquin
authors.forename: Ofelia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Katusich
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nudelman
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity*; D059392:Petroleum Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum; D012987:Soil