Physico-chemical properties and toxicity of alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Hyun Joong Kang, So Young Lee, Jung Hwan Kwon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Crude oil and refined petroleum products contain many polycyclic and heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular, alkylated PAHs. Although alkylated PAHs are found in significantly higher quantities than their corresponding unsubstituted PAHs, the most studies on the physico-chemical properties and toxicities of these compounds have been conducted on unsubstituted PAHs. In this study, we measured crucial physico-chemical properties (i.e., water solubility, partition coefficients between polydimethylsiloxane and water (KPDMSw), and partition coefficient between liposomes and water (Klipw)) of selected alkylated PAHs, and evaluated their toxicity using the luminescence inhibition of Aliivibrio fischeri and growth inhibition of Raphidocelis subcapitata. In general, the logarithms of these properties for alkylated PAHs showed good linear correlations with log Kow, as did those for unsubstituted PAHs. Changes in molecular symmetry on the introduction of alkyl groups on aromatic ring structure significantly altered water solubility. The inhibition of bacterial luminescence and algal growth by alkylated PAHs can be explained well by the baseline toxicity hypothesis, and good linear relationships between log Kow or log Klipw and log (1/EC50) were found.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)200-207
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of hazardous materials
Volume312
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016 Jul 15

Keywords

  • Alkylated PAHs
  • Baseline toxicity
  • K
  • K
  • Solubility

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Pollution
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Physico-chemical properties and toxicity of alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this