Fenton-like and potassium permanganate oxidations of PAH-contaminated soils: Impact of oxidant doses on PAH and polar PAC (polycyclic aromatic compound) behavior.

Potassium permanganate and Fenton-like oxidations were applied on two PAH-contaminated soils collected on former coking plant and gas plant sites. The impact of oxidant dose on the polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) evolution, including 16 US-EPA PAHs, 11 oxygenated- and 4 nitrogen heterocyclic-PACs (O- and N-PACs) was studied for both treatments. The content of extractable organic matter and PACs was determined prior and after oxidation.

Aging as the main factor controlling PAH and polar-PAC (polycyclic aromatic compound) release mechanisms in historically coal-tar-contaminated soils.

In industrial sites, historically contaminated by coal tar (abandoned coking and manufactured gas plants), other families of organic pollutants than the 16 PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) classified by the US-EPA can occur and induce potential risk for groundwater resources. Polar PACs (polycyclic aromatic compounds), especially oxygenated and nitrogenated PACs (O-PACs and N-PACs), are present in the initial pollution and can also be generated over time (i.e.

Evolution of dissolved organic matter during abiotic oxidation of coal tar--comparison with contaminated soils under natural attenuation.

In former coal transformation plants (coking and gas ones), the major organic contamination of soils is coal tar, mainly composed of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs). Air oxidation of a fresh coal tar was chosen to simulate the abiotic natural attenuation impact on PAC-contaminated soils. Water-leaching experiments were subsequently performed on fresh and oxidized coal tars to study the influence of oxidation on dissolved organic matter (DOM) quality and quantity.