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Bioavailability of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons

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Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons

Abstract

There is a fundamental need to understand and possibly quantify the bioavailable fraction of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) present in the environment. Bioavailability can be defined as the amount of a pollutant that can be readily taken up by microorganisms for biodegradation. The bioavailability of TPHs governs the rate of biodegradation or bioremediation. There are several constraints including low aqueous solubility, sorption, and micropore exclusion that limit the bioavailability of TPHs to microorganisms. Surfactants enhance TPHs bioavailability and thereby increase the rate of biodegradation. To quantify the bioavailable fractions, many techniques have been employed ranging from solvent-based extractions to the use of biota. Chemical techniques used to determine TPHs bioavailability include mild organic solvent extraction, supercritical fluid extraction with pure CO2, persulfate oxidation, cyclodextrin extraction, solid-phase extraction using Tenax, and surfactant extraction. The biological assays developed for assessing the bioavailability of TPHs in the environment include the respirometry, bioluminescence assay, quantitation of mRNA, earthworm toxicity test, human dermal uptake test, animal oral uptake test, microtox toxicity test, springtail toxicity test, Ames assay, seed germination/root elongation test, algal growth inhibition test, and Daphnia immobilization test.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Environmental Studies, Anna University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Saranya Kuppusamy

  2. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud y Departamento de investigación, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo, Manabí, Ecuador

    Naga Raju Maddela

  3. Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia

    Mallavarapu Megharaj

  4. Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India

    Kadiyala Venkateswarlu

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  1. Saranya Kuppusamy
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  2. Naga Raju Maddela
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  3. Mallavarapu Megharaj
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  4. Kadiyala Venkateswarlu
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Kuppusamy, S., Maddela, N.R., Megharaj, M., Venkateswarlu, K. (2020). Bioavailability of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons. In: Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24035-6_4

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