LEACHING OF SELECTED PAHS AND HETEROANALOGS FROM AN ORGANIC MATRIX INTO SYNTHETIC GROUND-WATER - INFLUENCE OF DISSOLVED HUMIC MATERIAL

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as well as the corresponding heteroan alogues, i.e. azarenes, thiarenes and oxarenes, can be leached from or ganic matrixes into an aqueous phase. The compounds exhibiting the hig hest aqueous solubilities are leached to the highest extent. The prese nce of dissolved humic material causes an increased apparent aqueous s olubility of the polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC's), the effect bei ng more pronounced for the compounds with the highest aqueous solubili ties. It is suggested that the interaction between dissolved humic mat erial and PAC's should be included in risk evaluations. (C) 1997 Elsev ier Science Ltd.