Organic acids as solvents for leaching PAHs out of impregnated wood

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of hydrophobic organic compounds, which are ubiquitous in the environment. Some of them exhibit toxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity [1]. There is a high PAH content in creosote impregnated wood [2]. Creosote impregnated wood which was used and discarded becomes hazardous waste. Concentration of PAHs in used impregnated wood can be reduced by leaching with suitable solvent systems. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare different organic acids solvent systems for leaching PAHs out of impregnated wood to obtain non-hazardous waste. Leaching tests on impregnated wood were performed with 15 % water solution of urea, concentrated formic acid, 15 % solution of urea in formic acid and glacial acetic acid [3]. Concentration of PAHs in extracts was measured by GC-FID technique. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that were determined are naphthalene, 1-methylnaphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a] anthracene and chrysene.