3-D Characterization of NAPL-Contaminated Sediments with Laser-Induced Fluorescence–Based Samplers and Probes

摘要

Nonaqueous-phase liquids (NAPLs) such as crude, bunker fuels, coal tar and creosote are potent sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) due to PAH’s affinity for NAPL vs water. When present, they pose a significant exposure risk to biota and are a recalcitrant source of PAHs to adjacent sediments and pore waters. And yet NAPL, especially NAPL in sediments, remains somewhat of a “fringe” contaminant of interest. Some investigators recognize its risk but minimalize the difficulty involved in properly characterizing NAPL, assuming they’ll delineate it with field observations and/or the usual laundry list of chemical analyses that speciate, but do not clearly indicate NAPL existence. Others conduct expensive investigations focusing on specific compounds or nebulous “Total PAHs” or “DRO” based on regulations, only to discover down the road