DETERMINATION OF SEMIVOLATILE ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHYMASS-SPECTROMETRY IN RECLAIMED MARSH SEDIMENTS IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

This work describes the measurement of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs ) in soil samples originating from restored marsh at Sabine National W ildlife Refuge in southwestern Louisiana. The analysis was conducted u sing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The sediments used to restore the marsh were taken from the Calcasieu River ship channel. Large quantities of refined and crude petroleum hydrocarbons me trans ported along the ship channel, which has longs been suspected to be hi ghly contaminated. No PAHs were detected in any samples above lower le vels of detection. However, hexachlorobenzene and hexachlorobutadiene were detected at levels just below the practical quantitation limit. B ased on these results, use of Calcasieu River Ship Channel dredge spoi ls to restore Sabine National Wildlife Refugee marsh sediments should not lead to ecological problems. (C) 1998 Academic Press.