Radial migration of petroleum hydrocarbons in soils of Sakhalin island based on laboratory lysimetric experiments

Abstract

The estimation of the radial migration of petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soil profile and their inflow into lysimetric leachates was done to establish acceptable TPH limits in main soil types of Sakhalin Island. The maximum concentrations of TPH, especially medium and high-boiling fractions of TPH, were accumulated in peat and humus horizons, as well as in soil horizons, characterized by heavy loam or clay granulometric composition, which could be considered as radial geochemical barriers to the migration of pollutants. Benzene and its homologues were detected in filtrates from soil monoliths, after passing a water volume corresponding to three-quarters of the annual precipitation, yet these compounds were not revealed after passing the annual precipitation rate through the soil. The toxicity of the leachates was assessed in bioassay with ceriodaphnia and ciliates. The criteria for establishing the acceptable TPH norms in soils according water migration index can be: concentration of TPH, the content of monoaromatic compounds in leachates and their toxicity for hydrobionts in lysimetric experiments.