PARTITIONING OF CHLORINATED SOLVENTS BETWEEN PINE NEEDLES AND AIR

The equilibrium partitioning of tetrachloromethane (CCl4), trichloroet hene (C2HCl3), tetrachloroethene (C2Cl4) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (C2 H3Cl3) between the gas phase and both needles and hexane-extractable l eaf waxes of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) was measured at room tem perature (20 degrees C). Needles and wax came to equilibrium with gas- phase concentrations in the range 2.5-1500 mg m(-3) within 6 hours. Pa rtition ratios (PR: g mg(-3) needle/g m(-3) gaseous nitrogen) for whol e needles were 9, 27, 200 and 10 for CCl4, C2HCl3, C2Cl4 and C2H3Cl3 r espectively; for extractable wax the partition ratios were 90, 390, 21 00 and 950 respectively. The partition ratios are similar to published data for Norway spruce. There was a linear relationship between log(P R) for whole needles and the octanol-air equilibrium constant, log(K-o a), suggesting that the PR depends on the balance between the octanol- water equilibrium constant and aqueous solubility. There was also a li near relationship between log(PR) and boiling point for the 4 chlorina ted hydrocarbons studied. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.