Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.06.031
Title (Primary) Investigation of the solvent extracts of humic organic matter (HOM) isolated from the Ravenna Lagoon to study environmental pollution and microbial communities
Author Poerschmann, J.; Fabbri, D.; Górecki, T.
Source Titel Chemosphere
Year 2007
Department TUCHEM
Volume 70
Issue 2
Page From 206
Page To 214
Language englisch
Keywords Contaminated sediment; Fatty acid pattern; Hopanes; Nonylphenols; PAH pattern; Sterols
Abstract Solvent extracts of HOM isolated from highly polluted sediments from the Ravenna Lagoon were studied. Diagnostic indicators included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nonylphenols as hazardous organic pollutants to characterize anthropogenic pollution, as well as fatty acids (FA, analysed as methyl esters, FAME) to characterize microbial communities responsible for natural attenuation processes. The distribution of PAHs including cyclopentafused surrogates pointed to a significant pyrogenic origin, characteristic for methane combustion. The PAH distribution was characterized by high concentrations of highly carcinogenic analytes with molecular weights of 276 Da (benzo[ghi]perylene prevailing) and 300 Da (coronene prevailing). The PAH pattern as obtained by solvent extraction was very different from that obtained from pyrolysis/thermochemolysis of the HOM polymeric matrix. The FA pattern indicated strong bacterial input, with a significant contribution from methanotrophic bacteria as revealed by monounsaturated members with n:1?8 and n:1?5 double bonds in the alkyl chain. Terrestrial inputs as revealed by FAME analysis beyond C20 with pronounced even-over-odd discrimination were of minor significance. This was confirmed by the pattern of nC24-nC30 alcohols in strong even-over-odd prevalence occurring in relatively low concentrations. The hopane hydrocarbon distribution reflected a distinctive impact from industrial processes utilizing heavy fractions of petroleum as feedstock. Hopanols along with the 17ß(H),21ß(H)-bishomohopanoic acid pointed to hopane producers, including methanotrophic and sulfate-reducing bacteria. Nonylphenols, which could not be detected in the pyrograms of solvent-extracted HOM matrix, had a total concentration of about 70 µg g-1 referred to the HOM in the solvent extract. In addition to common phytosterols including ß-sitosterol, coprostanol could be detected in the solvent extracts pointing to human fecal matter contamination. Concentration of resin acids turned out to be very low, thus no harmful environmental effects are to be expected from these compounds.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=2171
Poerschmann, J., Fabbri, D., Górecki, T. (2007):
Investigation of the solvent extracts of humic organic matter (HOM) isolated from the Ravenna Lagoon to study environmental pollution and microbial communities
Chemosphere 70 (2), 206 - 214 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.06.031