Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Attenuation of polychlorinated biphenyls in soils

  • Chapter
Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

Part of the book series: Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology ((RECT,volume 98))

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been manufactured and used industrially since the early 1930s. The industrial grade Aroclors, sold by Monsanto, consist of mixtures of PCB congeners (Hutzinger et al. 1974). Their thermal stability, chemical stability, e.g., general inertness to oxidation and hydrolysis, and dielectric properties have made them very useful in a variety of industrial applications. They have been used as coolant-insulation fluids in capacitors and transformers; as agents for impregnating cotton and asbestos in braided insulation of electrical wiring; as plasticizers in wire, cable coatings, and vinyl chloride polymer films; as lubricants and gasket sealers; as high-pressure hydraulic fluids; as heat transfer agents; as machine tool cutting oils; as protective coatings for wood, metal, and concrete; for adhesives; and for carbonless reproducing paper (Gustafson 1970). However, their use has been restricted since the early 1970s.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adamson AW (1982) Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 4th edit. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baxter RM, Sutherland DA (1984) Biochemical and photochemical processes in the degradation of chlorinated biphenyls. Environ Sci Technol 18:608–610.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bidleman TF, Burdick NF, Westcott JW, Billings WN (1983) Influence of volatility on the collection of airborne PCB and pesticides with filter-solid adsorbent samplers. In: Mackay D, Paterson S, Eisenreich SJ, Simmons MS (eds) Physical Behavior of PCBs in the Great Lakes. Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI, pp. 15–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burkhard LP, Andren AW, Armstrong DE (1985) Estimation of vapor pressures for polychlorinated biphenyls: a comparison of eleven predictive methods. Environ Sci Technol 19:500–506.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burkhard LP, Armstrong DE, Andren AW (1984) Vapor pressures for biphenyl, 4-chlorobiphenyl, 2,2’,3,3’,5,5’,6,6’-octachlorobiphenyl and decachlorobiphenyl. J Chem Eng Data 29:248–250.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cherry JA, Gillham RW, Barker JF (1984) Contaminants in groundwater: chemical processes. In: Groundwater Contamination, Studies in Geophysics Series. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 46–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiou CT, Freed VH, Schmedding DW, Kohnert RL (1977) Partition coefficient and bioaccumulation of selected organic chemicals. Environ Sci Technol 11:475–478.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coates JT, Elzerman AW (1986) Desorption kinetics for selected PCB congeners from river sediments. J Contam Hydrol 1:191–210.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DiToro DM, Horzempa LM (1982) Reversible and resistant components of PCB adsorption-desorption: isotherms. Environ Sci Technol 16:594–602.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DiToro DM, Horzempa LM, Casey MC (1983) Adsorption and desorption of hexachlorobiphenyl. A. Experimental results and discussion. B. Analysis of exchangeable and nonexchangeable components. Duluth MN: Environmental Research Lab, Environmental Protection Agency. EPA 600/3–83–088, PB83–261677, 322 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • DiToro DM, Horzempa LM, Casey MC, Richardson W (1982) Reversible and resistant components of PCB adsorption-desorption: adsorbent concentration effects. J Great Lakes Res 8:336–349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fairbanks BC, O’Connor GA (1984) Effect of sewage-sludge on the adsorption of polychlorinated biphenyls by three New Mexico soils. J Environ Qual 13:297–300.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farquhar GJ, Constable TW, VanNorman A, Mooij H (1979) PCB interactions with soil. J Environ Sci Health A14:547–557.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher JB, Petty RL, Lick W (1983) Release of polychlorinated biphenyls from contaminated lake sediments: flux and apparent diffusivities of four individual PCB’s. Environ Pollut (Ser B) 5:121–132.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman DH, Cheung LS (1981) A gel partition model for organic desorption from a pond sediment. Science 214:790–792.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Griffin RA, Chian ESK (1980) Attenuation of water-soluble polychlorinated biphenyls by earth materials, final report. Washington DC: Environmental Protection Agency. EPA 600/2–80-027, PB 80–219652, 104 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Griffin RA, Chou SFJ (1981) Movement of PCB’s and other persistent compounds through soil. Water Sci Technol 13:1153–1163.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gschwend PM, Wu S-C (1985) On the constancy of sediment-water partition coefficients of hydrophobic organic pollutants. Environ Sci Technol 19:90–96.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gustafson CG (1970) PCB’s-prevalent and persistent. Environ Sci Techno 14:814–819.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haque R, Schmedding DW (1975) A method of measuring the water solubility of hydrophobic chemicals: solubility of five chlorinated biphenyls. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 14:13–18.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haque R, Schmedding DW (1976) Studies on the adsorption of selected polychlorinated biphenyl isomers on several surfaces. J Environ Sci Health B11: 129–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haque R, Schmedding DW, Freed VH (1974) Aqueous solubility, adsorption, and vapor behavior of polychlorinated biphenyl Aroclor 1254. Environ Sci Technol 8: 139–142.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hassett JJ, Means JC, Banwart WL, Wood SG (1980) Sorption processes of sediments and energy related pollutants. Athens, GA: Environ Processes Branch, Environ Research Lab, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-600/3–80–041.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassett JJ, Banwart WL, Griffin RA (1981) Correlation of compound properties with sorption characteristics of nonpolar compounds by soils and sediments: concepts and limitations. In: Francis C. (ed) The environment and solid wastes: characterization, treatment and disposal. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, pp. 161–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassett JP, Milicic E, Jota MA (1984) Equilibrium and kinetic studies of binding of a PCB compoundby dissolved organicmatter. Abs in Div of Environ Chem, Am Chem Soc 188th Natl Meet, 26–31, 24(2):234–235.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horzempa LM, DiToro DM (1983) The extent of reversibility of polychlorinated biphenyl adsorption. Water Res 17:851–859.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hutzinger D, Safe S, Zitko V (1974) The Chemistry of PCBs. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwata Y, Westlake WE, Gunther FA (1973) Varying persistence of polychlorinated biphenyls in six California soils under laboratory conditions. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 9:204–211.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Josephson J (1984) Phasing out PCB’s. Environ Sci Technol 18:43A–44A.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalmaz EV, Kalmaz GD (1979) Transport, distribution and toxic effects of polychlorinated biphenyls in ecosystems: review. Ecol Model 6:223–251.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karickhoff SW (1981) Semi-empirical estimation of sorption of hydrophobic pollutants on natural sediments and soils. Chemosphere 10:833–846.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karickhoff SW (1984) Organic pollutant sorption in aquatic systems. J Hydraulic Eng 10(6):707–735.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karickhoff SW, Brown DS, Scott TA (1979) Sorption of hydrophobic pollutants on natural sediments. Water Res 13:241–248.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Karickhoff SW, Morris KR (1985) Sorption dynamics of hydrophobic pollutants in sediment suspensions. Environ Toxicol Chem 4:462–479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kilzer L, Scheunert I, Geyer H, Klein W, Korte F (1979) Laboratory screening of the volatilization rates of organic chemicals from water and soil. Chemosphere 8:751–761.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence J, Tosine HM (1976) Adsorption of polychlorinated biphenyls from aqueous solutions and sewage. Environ Sci Technol 10:381–383.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee MC, Chian ESK, Griffin RA (1979a) Solubility of polychlorinated biphenyls and capacitor fluid in water. Water Res 13:1249–1258.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee MC, Griffin RA, Miller MA, Chian ESK (1979b) Adsorption of water-soluble polychlorinatedbiphenylAroclor1242 and used capacitor fluid by soil materials and coal chars. J Environ Sci Health A14(5):415–442.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leifer A, Brink RH, Thorn GC, Partymiller KG (1983) Environmental transport and transformation of polychlorinated biphenyls. Washington DC: Office of Pesticide and Toxic Subs., Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 560/5–83–025, PB84–142579, 206 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis RG, Martin BE, Sgontz DL, Howes HE (1984) Measurement of fugitive emissions of polychlorinated biphenyls from hazardous waste landfills. Abs in Div of Environ Chem, Am Chem Soc 188th Natl Meet. 24(2):244–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyman WJ, Reehl WF, Rosenblatt DH (1982) Handbook of chemical property estimation methods. McGraw-Hill, New York, 960 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackay D, Mascarenhas R, Shiu WY, Valvani SC, Yalkowsky SH (1980) Aqueous solubility of polychlorinated biphenyls. Chemosphere 9:257–264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackay D, Shiu WY, Billington J, Huang GL (1983) Physical chemical properties of polychlorinated biphenyls. In: Mackay D, Paterson S, Eisenreich SJ, Simmons MS (eds) Physical Behavior of PCBsin the Great Lakes. Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI, pp.59–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller MM, Ghodbane S, Wasik SP, Tewari VB, Martire DE (1984) Aqueous solubilities, octanol/water partition coefficients, and entropiesof wetting of chlorinated benzenes and biphenyls. J Chem Eng Data 29:184–190.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moein GJ (1976) Follow-up study of the distribution and fate of polychlorinated biphenyls and benzenes in soil and groundwater samples after an accidental spill of transformer fluid. Washington, DC: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 904/9–76–014, PB 288484.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moza P, Weisgerber I, Klein W (1976) Fate of 2,2’-dichlorobiphenyl-14C in carrots, sugar beets, and soil under outdoor conditions. J Agric Food Chem 24:881–885.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nau-Ritter GM, Wurster CF (1983) Sorption of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) to clay particulates and effects of desorption on phytoplankton. Water Res 17:383–387.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nau-Ritter GM, Wurster CF, Rowland RG (1982) Partitioning of [14C] PCB between water and particulates with various organic contents. Water Res 16:1615–1618.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pal D, Weber IB, Overcash MR (1980) Fate of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soilplant systems. Residue Reviews 74:45–98.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paris DF, Steen WC, Baughman GL (1978) Role of Physico-Chemical Properties of Aroclors 1016 and 1242 in determining their fate and transport in aquatic environments. Chemosphere 7:319–325.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlou SP (1980) Thermodynamic aspects of equilibrium sorption of persistent organic molecules at the sediment-seawater interface: a framework for predicting distributions in the aquatic environment. In: Baker RA (ed) Contaminants and Sediments, Vol. 2: Analysis, Chemistry, Biology. Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI, p. 323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao PSC, Davidson JM (1980) Estimation of pesticide retention and transformation parameters required in nonpoint source pollutant models. In: Overcash MR, Davidson JM (eds) Environmental impact of nonpoint source pollution. Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, MI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapaport RA, Eisenreich SJ (1984) Chromatographic determination of octanol-water partition coefficients (Kow’s) for 58 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners. Environ Sci Technol 18:163–170.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rapaport RA, Eisenreich SJ (1985) Corrections. Environ Sci Technol 19:376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts JR, Cherry JA, Schwartz FW (1982) A case study of a chemical spill: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s). 1. History, distribution, and surface translocation. Water Resour Res 18:525–534.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scharpenseel HW von, Theng BKG, Stephan S (1978) Polychlorinated biphenyls [14C] in soils: adsorption, infiltration, translocation and decomposition. In: Proc 3rd Intl Symp on environment, biogeochemistry and geomicrobiology 2:619–637.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz FW, Cherry JA, Roberts JR (1982) A case study of a chemical spill: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s). 2. Hydrogeological conditions and contaminant migration. Water Resour Res 18:535–545.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shiu WY, Mackay D (1986) A critical review of aqueous solubilities, vapor pressures, Henry’s law constants and octanol-water partition coefficients of the polychlorinated biphenyls. J Phys Chem, submitted for publication.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith AJ, Moein GJ, Stewart PL (1976) Follow-up study of the distribution and fate of polychlorinated biphenyls and benzenes in soil and groundwater samples after an accidental spill of transformer fluid. Springfield, VA: US Natl Tech Infor Serv, PG Rep, 19 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sposito G (1981) The Thermodynamics of Solid Solutions. Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stahl E (1969) Thin-Layer Chromatography: A Laboratory Handbook. 2nd edit. SpringerVerlag, Heidelberg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steen WC, Paris DF, Baughman GL (1978) Partitioning of selected polychlorinated biphenyls to natural sediments. Water Res 12:655–657.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strek HJ (1980) Factors affecting the bioavailability of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) in soils. Master’s Thesis, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, 109pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strek HJ, Weber JB (1982) Adsorption and reduction in bioactivity of polychlorinated biphenyl (Aroclor 1254) to redroot pigweed by soil organic matter and montmorillonite clay. Soil Sci Soc Am J 46:318–322.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thibodeaux LJ (1981) Estimating the air emissions of chemicals from hazardous waste landfills. J Hazard Mater 4:235–244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker ES, Litschgi WJ, Mees WM (1975) Migration of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil induced by percolating water. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 13:86–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vuceta J, Marsh JR, Kennedy S, Hildemann L, Wiley S (1983) State-of-the-art review: PCDDs and PDCFs in utility PCB fluid. Palo Alto, CA: Electric Power Research Institute, EPRI CS-3308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber WJ Jr, Voice TC, Pirbazari M, Hunt GE, Ulanoff DM (1983) Sorption of hydrophobic compounds by sediments, soils, and suspended solids. II. Sorbent evaluation studies. Water Res 17:1443–1452.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Westcott JW, Bidleman TF (1981) J Chromatogr 210:331.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woodburn KB, Doucette WJ, Andren AW (1984) Generator column determination of octanollwater partition coefficients for selected polychlorinated biphenyl congeners. Environ Sci Technol 18:457–459.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories, 99352, Richland, Washington, USA

    D. S. Sklarew & D. C. Girvin

Authors
  1. D. S. Sklarew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. C. Girvin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agriculture, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA

    George W. Ware

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1987 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Sklarew, D.S., Girvin, D.C. (1987). Attenuation of polychlorinated biphenyls in soils. In: Ware, G.W. (eds) Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, vol 98. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4700-5_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4700-5_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9120-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-4700-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation