Total Volatile Organic Compounds (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene) Surface Sediments from Barrier Islands in the Nakdong River Estuary, South Korea

Abstract

The total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations and distribution were determined for 18 surface sediment samples collected in and around three islands in the Nakdong River estuary, in the southeastern Korean Peninsula on May 2015. There are four primary volatile organic compounds: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene. The emissions of TVOCs from sediments were measured using a thermal desorption system-gas chromatograph-mass selective detector (TDS-GC-MSD) for 30 min at 25°C in the National Center for Inter-University Research Facilities, South Korea. The thermal extractor (Gerstel, Germany) was equipped with an adjustable oven (temperature 20&#8211 350°C) to heat a glass tube containing the sample. The TVOC ranged from 2.6 to 64.9 ng/g-dry wt (average, 13.2 ± 13.8 ng/g-dry wt), with benzene 0.6 to 0.8 ng/g-dry wt (average, 0.7 ± 0.1 ng/g-dry wt), toluene 0.4 to 1.3 ng/g-dry wt (average, 0.9 ± 0.3 ng/g-dry wt), and xylene 0.0 to 0.8 ng/g-dry wt (average, 0.2 ± 0.2 ng/g-dry wt). For most of the sampling stations, no evidence of ethylbenzene was found. The TVOC was highest for a Sinjado Island station, at 64.9 ng/g-dry wt. This area corresponds to backbarrier fringe marsh sediments sorted by location and terrain. Although the TVOC levels in many sediments were below the detection limits, this method can be used to estimate their behavior in marine environments. TVOCs in sediments are a major probl There are four primary volatile organic compounds: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene. The emissions of TVOCs from sediments were measured using a thermal desorption system-gas chromatograph-mass selective detector (TDS-GC-MSD) for 30 min at 25°C in the National Center for Inter-University Research Facilities, South Korea. The thermal extractor (Gerstel, Germany) was equipped with an adjustable oven (temperature 20&#8211 350°C) to heat a glass tube containing the sample. The TVOC ranged from 2.6 to 64.9 ng/g-dry wt (average, 13.2 ± 13.8 ng/g-dry wt), with benzene 0.6 to 0.8 ng/g-dry wt (average, 0.7 ± 0.1 ng/g-dry wt), toluene 0.4 to 1.3 ng/g-dry wt (average, 0.9 ± 0.3 ng/g-dry wt), and xylene 0.0 to 0.8 ng/g-dry wt (average, 0.2 ± 0.2 ng/g-dry wt). For most of the sampling stations, no evidence of ethylbenzene was found. The TVOC was highest for a Sinjado Island station, at 64.9 ng/g-dry wt. This area corresponds to backbarrier fringe marsh sediments sorted by location and terrain. Although the TVOC levels in many sediments were below the detection limits, this method can be used to estimate their behavior in marine environments. TVOCs in sediments are a major probl