Soil organic matter composition as a factor affecting the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

• Published in: Journal of soils and sediments 2019-04, Vol.19 (4), p.1890-1900
• Main Authors: Ukalska-Jaruga, Aleksandra, Smreczak, Bożena, Klimkowicz-Pawlas, Agnieszka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulation; Agricultural land; Agricultural practices; Aromatic compounds; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Binding; Black carbon; Carbon; Carbon content; Clay; Combustion; Composition; Domains; Dye dispersion; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Physics; Fulvic acids; Humic acids; Molecular weight; Organic carbon; Organic matter; Organic soils; Physicochemical processes; Physicochemical properties; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Sec 4 • Ecotoxicology • Research Article; Soil; Soil layers; Soil organic matter; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Sorption; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Total organic carbon; Weight
• ISSN: 1439-0108; 1614-7480
• DOI: 10.1007/s11368-018-2214-x

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the mutual relations between the soil organic matter (SOM) fractions: fulvic acids (FA), humic acids (HA), humins (HN), black carbon (BC) and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) accumulation level in agricultural soils influenced by historical and actual anthropopressure. The research allowed to indicate which fractions of SOM are the major sequestration sinks for PAHs after they are naturally introduced into the soil. Materials and methods Soil samples were collected from the upper layer of agricultural soils ( n  = 41), and basic physicochemical properties (pH KCl , total carbon, total nitrogen and clay content) were determined. The SOM was characterised by the total organic carbon content and humic substances, including HA, FA and HN, determined by an adapted method recommended by the International Humic Substances Society. The extracts of HA and FA were analysed for carbon content using a liquid CN analyser, while HN constituted the soil carbon in the residue after FA and HA extraction. The content of BC was analysed by dry combustion at 375 °C for 24 h (CTO375); the remaining carbon was determined via combustion in an elemental analyser. Results and discussion In all soils, significant positive relations between PAH concentrations and TOC content ( r  = 0.73, p