Use of compound-specific stable isotope analysis to source anthropogenic natural gas-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a lagoon sediment

McRae, C., Snape, C.E., Sun, C.G., Fabbri, D., Tartari, D., Trombini, C. and Fallick, A.E. (2000) Use of compound-specific stable isotope analysis to source anthropogenic natural gas-derived polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a lagoon sediment. Environmental Science and Technology, 34(22), pp. 4684-4686. (doi: 10.1021/es0010002)

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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es0010002

Abstract

This paper reports the first identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the environment with extremely low carbon stable isotopic ratios. For sediments collected from a coastal lagoon in northern Italy, these low C-13/C-12 isotopic ratios for many of the PAHs together with the presence of cylcopentafused PAHs (CP-PAH) indicate that the PAHs have predominantly been derived from a high-temperature industrial process utilizing the local biogenic natural gas. The process used the biogenic gas as the feedstock for the production of acetylene. From the evidence available, the large variability in the PAH isotopic delta C-13 values (from -31 to -62 parts per thousand) is ascribed mainly to biodegradation rather than to major inputs from sources of isotopically heavy PAH, such as the neighboring modern-day carbon black plants.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Fallick, Professor Anthony
Authors: McRae, C., Snape, C.E., Sun, C.G., Fabbri, D., Tartari, D., Trombini, C., and Fallick, A.E.
Subjects:Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
Journal Name:Environmental Science and Technology
Journal Abbr.:EST
Publisher:American Chemical Society
ISSN:0013-936X
ISSN (Online):1520-5851

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