When PAHs Leach in, We Reach out

Free Ticket for You Briefly.

Before then, when something leaches, it dissolves out.

Practically, this title should not be the ideal. Rather, before PAHs leach in, we reach out. Makes sense, right? 

So, a paper that caught my attention this week is titled "Enhanced Immobilization of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Contaminated Soil Using Forest Wood-Derived Biochar and Activated Carbon under Saturated Conditions, and the Importance of Biochar Particle Size", and I am beginning to get some insight into how I can expand my research into related areas.


One thing you may be aware about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is that, being a group of organic contaminants, it is highly hydrophobic, carcinogenic, and non-biodegradable. Recall that when something is non-biodegradable, it can accumulate in the environment for a long period of time (for example, thousands of years).


TSP: Ama reach out before you leach in

PAHs exist in the environment naturally by volcanoes, or anthropogenically through activities including but not limited to burning of fossil fuels, wood and waste. A list of PAHs listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) here. Some adverse effects of this group of environmental contaminants are birth defects, cancer, skin and DNA damage.


PAHs can leach from soil into groundwater, and this poses a "serious risk" for drinking water supplies. Scientists have been trying to solve this problem for many years by sorption of similar contaminants on "black carbon such as char, charcoal, fly ash, and soot-like materials", and studies have recorded exploits in the restriction of these contaminants from soil.


Biochar happens to be a huge yet simple solution to the huge problem of contamination in the twenty-first century world as its performance characteristics transcends soil amendment.


Because of its strong affinity to organic contaminants like PAHs, the researchers of the article endeavored to ascertain if biochar could and would reduce "bioavailability and toxicity of PAHs" by examining the influence on leaching and release of the contaminants from soil into water.

When PAHs eventually get into water bodies, they soon get into water creatures such as fish and invertebrates, and this has a huge effect on humans through the disruption of the food chain.

In the end, the prepared biochar was effective in reducing PAH leaching from contaminated soil. However, the authors recommend that extensive field studies should be carried out in understanding the practical application of biochar for immobilizing PAHs in soil.


If you would like to explore this paper, here is a free ticket.


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