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Soil contaminated with PAHs and nitro-PAHs: contamination levels in an urban area of Catania (Sicily, southern Italy) and experimental results from simulated decontamination treatment

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Abstract

This study is aimed at investigating the levels of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and nitro-polyaromatic hydrocarbons in polluted urban soils and the potential application of microwave heating as decontamination treatment. The soil samples were collected from an area of 0.05 km2 of Catania (Sicily, southern Italy) rural site. HPLC in fluorescence and electrochemical–fluorescence detection mode were used for selective separation, identification and quantification of pollutants in soil samples. A bench-scale microwave treatment was performed irradiating a contaminated soil using different operating powers for removing both kinds of contaminants. Results reveal that soil pollutant concentrations were sometimes higher than those found in other locations. Polyaromatic and nitro-polyaromatic hydrocarbon levels observed suggest a strong contribution from incomplete combustion of gasoline or other fuels also due to the vicinity to the airport. Many polyaromatic hydrocarbon derivatives are more carcinogenic than the initial contaminant form and may have toxicological significance, even if present at much lower concentrations than their parent compounds. Thus, the environmental levels of these pollutants need to be monitored and removed. Contaminant removals from simulated microwave remediation show that the treatment is effective. Results also showed that contaminant features, especially polarity, significantly influence the dielectric properties of the soil and thus the final temperature reachable during the heating processes and the contaminant removals.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the following institutions is gratefully acknowledged: the Italian MURST, in the framework of the “FIR 2014” Università degli studi di Catania. Thanks to Dr. Irene Faro for soil sampling, treatment and analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy

    Guido De Guidi, Alfio Catalfo & Sonia Fagone

  2. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Architettura, Università di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy

    Pietro P. Falciglia, Sonia Fagone & Federico G. A. Vagliasindi

  3. Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali, Università di Catania, Corso Italia 57, 95125, Catania, Italy

    Giorgio De Guidi & Sonia Fagone

  4. Centro di ricerca per l’analisi, il monitoraggio e le metodologie di minimizzazione del rischio ambientale (CRAM3RA), Università di Catania, Catania, Italy

    Guido De Guidi

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  1. Guido De Guidi
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  2. Pietro P. Falciglia
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Correspondence to Pietro P. Falciglia.

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De Guidi, G., Falciglia, P.P., Catalfo, A. et al. Soil contaminated with PAHs and nitro-PAHs: contamination levels in an urban area of Catania (Sicily, southern Italy) and experimental results from simulated decontamination treatment. Clean Techn Environ Policy 19, 1121–1132 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1305-x

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