Land treatment of PAH-contaminated soil: Performance measured by chemical and toxicity assays

The performance of a soil remediation process can be determined by measuring the reduction in target soil contaminant concentrations and by assessing the treatment's ability to lower soil toxicity. Land treatment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soil from a former wood-treating site was simulated at pilot scale in temperature-controlled sol pans. Nineteen two- through six-ring PAHs were monitored with time (initial total PAHs = 2,800 mg/kg). Twenty-five weeks of treatment yielded a final total PAH level of 1,160 mg/kg. Statistically significant decreases in concentrations were seen in total, two-, three-, and four-ring PAHs. Carcinogenic and five- and six-ring PAHs showed no significant change in concentration. Land treatment resulted in significant toxicity reduction based on root elongation, Allium chromosomal aberration, and solid-phase Microtox bioassays. Acute toxicity, as measured by the earthworm survival assay, was significantly reduced and completely removed. The Ames spiral plate mutagenicity assay revealed that the untreated soil was slightly mutagenic and that treatment may have reduced mutagenicity. The variety of results generated from the chemical and toxicity assays emphasize the need for conducting a battery of such tests to fully understand soil remediation processes.