Investigation of the Dispersed-Phase Distribution of Organochlorine Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Natural Water Systems

Abstract

The article analyzes the patterns of the dispersed-phase distribution of organic ecotoxicants, namely organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), in natural water systems. The relationship between the dispersed-phase distribution of individual OCPs, PCBs, and PAHs and the logarithm of the octanol-water partition coefficient log Ko/w (hydrophobicity coefficient) was established. It was shown that the water-soluble part of individual organic ecotoxicants decreases with an increase in their hydrophobicity coefficient. Eight of the given eleven correlations are clear, significant and reliable. The influence of the characteristics of the water system on the dispersed-phase distribution of organic ecotoxicants was also investigated. It was shown that the total water-soluble part of OCPs, PCBs, and PAHs decreases with an increase in the chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and the total concentration of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cd, Pb). Four of the nine relevant correlations are clear, significant, and reliable.