How to Determine the Environmental Exposure of PAHs Originating from Biochar

Environmental Science & Technology
Philipp MayerThomas D Bucheli

Abstract

Biochars are obtained by pyrolyzing biomass materials and are increasingly used within the agricultural sector. Owing to the production process, biochars can contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the high mg/kg range, which makes the determination of the environmental exposure of PAHs originating from biochars relevant. However, PAH sorption to biochar is characterized by very high (10(4)-10(6) L/kg) or extreme distribution coefficients (KD) (>10(6) L/kg), which makes the determination of exposure scientifically and technically challenging. Cyclodextrin extractions, sorptive bioaccessibility extractions, Tenax extractions, contaminant traps, and equilibrium sampling were assessed and selected methods used for the determination of bioavailability parameters for PAHs in two model biochars. Results showed that: (1) the KD values of typically 10(6)-10(9) L/kg made the biochars often act as sinks, rather than sources, of PAHs. (2) Equilibrium sampling yielded freely dissolved concentrations (pg-ng/L range) that were below or near environmental background levels. (3) None of the methods were found to be suitable for the direct measurement of the readily desorbing fractions of PAHs (i.e., bioacessibility) in the two bioch...Continue Reading

References

Oct 18, 2005·Chemosphere·Albert A KoelmansOrjan Gustafsson
May 18, 2006·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Fredrik Reichenberg, Philipp Mayer
Jun 3, 2008·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Gerard CornelissenGijs D Breedveld
Nov 1, 2008·Journal of Environmental Monitoring : JEM·André DesaulesArmin Keller
Apr 29, 2009·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·Isabel HilberRainer Schulin
Mar 31, 2011·Environmental Science & Technology·Philipp MayerAndreas P Loibner
Jan 11, 2012·Environmental Pollution·D KupryianchykA A Koelmans
Feb 11, 2012·Environmental Science & Technology·Sarah E HaleGerard Cornelissen
Mar 9, 2012·Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·Isabel HilberThomas D Bucheli
Jul 4, 2012·Journal of Environmental Quality·Sonja Schimmelpfennig, Bruno Glaser
Aug 1, 2012·Environmental Science & Technology·Marco KeiluweitFredrick G Prahl
Sep 1, 2012·Environmental Science & Technology·Varvara Gouliarmou, Philipp Mayer
Oct 25, 2012·Environmental Science & Technology·Angela H RhodesKirk T Semple

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Citations

May 4, 2017·Environmental Science. Processes & Impacts·Gabriel SigmundThilo Hofmann
Mar 8, 2017·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Yang LiYaodong Hu
Nov 22, 2019·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Ping ZhangMason B Tomson
Dec 17, 2017·The Science of the Total Environment·Lucie BielskáSarah E Hale

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