Sorption behaviors of a persistent toxaphene congener on marine sediments under different physicochemical conditions

Abstract

Sorptive processes are important parameters affecting the mobility, availability and fate of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as toxaphene, in aquatic systems. The sorption and desorption behaviors of the B7-1450, a stable toxaphene congener in environment, on marine sediment was studied under different temperature and salinity conditions to better understand the B-1450 distribution in estuarine systems. The data were fitted to different sorption models to characterize sorption behaviors by evaluating sorption coefficients and sequestrated fraction of B7-1450 on sediments. High carbon-normalized sorption coefficients (Koc) of the B7-1450 were observed with values ranging from 3.2×104 to 6.0×104 mL g(-1) under experimental conditions. The data showed an increase of B7-1450 sorption coefficients with the salinity and a decrease with temperature. These investigations indicate that B7-1450 is three times more sequestred on sediments in cold (2°C, 30 psu) than in warm marine conditions (20°C, 30 psu). These results suggest that the mobility and bioavailable of B7-1450 or other POPs from the sediments could be less important in cold marine comparatively in warm marine and warm freshwater media. As a result of climate changes, the warming of mid and high latitudes coastal waters could enhance the mobility of POPs.

Keywords: Desorption–sequestration; Estuarine sediment; POPs; Salting out; Sorption coefficient; Temperature effect.