Environmental Quality Research - Fate of Toxic Jet Fuel Components in Aquatic Systems

Abstract : This report describes an investigation into the nature of the toxic components in the jet fuel JP-4. Toxicity evaluation was based on the inhibitory effect of the fuel water soluble extract (WSF) on the hatchability of Artemia salina eggs. JP-4 samples from different sources were shown to differ substantially both in hydrocarbon composition and toxicity. Toxicity tests with individual model hydrocarbons and mixtures indicated that 1) contrary to widely held views, alkane hydrocarbons were substantially (20-50 times) more toxic than aromatics; 2) the major WSF components benzene, toluene, and xylenes (70-90% of total) accounted for less than 30% of WSF toxicity; and 3) the estimated toxicity of the remaining WSF hydrocarbons was high enough (approximately 2 ppm) to account for the rest of the WSF toxicity. It was concluded that all the JP-4 hydrocarbons were toxic, their contribution being dependent on the proportion present in the water soluble fraction, and that JP-4 toxicity was the sum of the toxicities of its component hydrocarbons. Least squares plots have been developed that allow prediction of maximum JP-4 WSF toxicities from 1) benzene/ toluene levels in the neat fuel and 2) total hydrocarbon levels in the WSF. (Author)