PCB congener sorption to carbonaceous sediment components: Macroscopic comparison and characterization of sorption kinetics and mechanism

Sorption of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to sediment is a key process in determining their mobility, bioavailability, and chemical decomposition in aquatic environments. In order to examine the validity of currently used interpretation approaches for PCBs sorption, comparative results on 2-chlorobiphenyl sorption to carbonaceous components in sediments (activated carbon, carbon black, coal, soot, graphite, flyash, wood) were macroscopically correlated with the structural, morphological, crystallographic, and compositional properties of the carbonaceous components. Since the Freundlich sorption constant, KF (L kg-1) spanned several orders of magnitude, ranging from log KF of 6.13-5.27 for activated carbon, 5.04 for carbon black, 3.83 for coal to 3.08 for wood, organic carbon partitioning approach should be more specifically categorized, considering the various forms, nature and origins of organic carbon in sediment. Sorption rate constants and fraction parameters, which were numerically defined from empirical kinetic model with fast and slow sorption fractions, were closely related to the physicochemical properties of the carbonaceous components. Sorption interpretation approaches with a specific property and viewpoint, such as organic carbon partitioning, soot carbon distribution, or surface area correlation, did not properly explain the overall results on sorption capacity, fast and slow sorption kinetics, and partitioning coefficient. It is also important to emphasize the heterogeneous nature of sediment and the difficulties of encompassing the partitioning among its carbonaceous components.