2 ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ И МЕТОДИКА РАБОТ - Courrier international

5 ASSESSMENT OF SOIL AND GROUND POLLUTION IN THE SURVEYED
AREAS
5.1 Chemical-analytical characteristics of pollutant groups to be controlled
Petroleum hydrocarbons
Total petroleum hydrocarbons
Oil and products of its processing (oil products), which are the most widely spread environmental
pollutants are a complex mixture of different hydrocarbons of aliphatic (paraffinic), naphthenic and
aromatic homologous series having a number of carbon atoms from 5 to 70 and organic compounds
of other classes such as naphthenic acids, organic compounds of sulfur, nitrogen, etc).
According to the recommendations of Russian and international technical standards, the
measurement of total petroleum hydrocarbons was conducted using a method of dispersionless IR
spectrophotometry allowing to efficiently monitor the total content of the most typical group of
compounds comprising the main part of oil and products of its processing such as non- polar and
slightly polar hydrocarbons not sorbed on active aluminum oxide.
This group includes all branched and unbranched alkanes, naphthenic hydrocarbons without
condensed nuclei. These types of hydrocarbons are an integral part of the natural geochemical
background. Their presence in surface waters at levels of 10-50 mcg/l can be provided by both
intake of oil products and the presence of hydrobiont and terrigeneous genesis biogenic lipids.
The content of petroleum hydrocarbons in surface and ground waters in higher concentrations is a
sign of the presence of a constant pollution source.
Toxicity of aliphatic and naphthenic hydrocarbons is relatively low, however, due to their high
capacity to form emulsions and surface films, their presence even in small concentrations in surface
and ground waters and soils causes significant changes in oxygen metabolism, what in its turn,
leads to a negative environmental effect such as mass young fish and fish embryo mortality,
inhibition of plant growth, etc.
Volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (VAH)
Volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (VAH) such as benzene, toluene and ortho-, para-, and meta-
xylenes are highly volatile compounds having high toxic properties, irritant effects and strong
characteristic odor, which, due to their high solubility in water (100-800 mg/l) can impart an
unpleasant odor and taste to water making it unfit to drink.
Also aromatic hydrocarbons are the most toxic. Due to a the high volatility of these substances even
at low temperatures, their presence in natural waters can be observed only in case the presence of a
constant source of new oil products and only in close proximity to such sources only.
The high volatility of this group of compounds also explains their significant toxic hazard for
personnel and population through an inhalation route.
When accumulating in soils in the locations of accidental oil spill or of burning of mine dumps, the
rate of evaporation of VAH significantly varies leading to the increase in the time of exposure of
FINAL REPORT for Contract No. CS-NPA-Arctic-13/2009 of December 01, 2009 within the framework of pilot project Development of
Technology of clean up of the area of Decommissioned Sites of The Russian Federation Ministry of Defense in the Arctic by the
Example of Alexanra Island of Franz Josef Land Archipelago from Hazardous Waste
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