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Contribution of settling measurements to the study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons’ (PAHs) mobilisation during resuspension of PAHs-associated sediment

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Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the effect of the settling behaviour of sediment particles during resuspension on the mobilisation of pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Sediments were collected in different areas (basin, channel, beach) of a Mediterranean harbour, located in the south of France (the Grau du Roi harbour), and then separated into different size fractions: large (80–1000 μm), intermediate (40–80 μm), and fine (< 40 μm). Total PAHs concentrations in the initial sediment ranged from 320 to 1043 μg kg-1. Study of the settling behaviour of the PAH-contaminated sediment revealed two sedimentation regimes: sedimentation by mass, which exhibits a sharp interface between the supernatant and the deposit, and sedimentation by clarification with no interface. It appears that sediment particles settle either by the clarification regime or by a combination of the two sedimentation regimes, depending on the size fraction. Particle size distribution monitoring during the settling process allowed the identification of sediment particles less than 20 μm which remain in the water column up to 20 min after resuspension and appear to be the ones that can potentially mobilise PAHs.

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Data availability

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article

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Acknowledgements

The Région Occitanie and IMT Mines Alès are acknowledged here for supporting the present research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LMGC, IMT Mines Alès, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Alès, France

    Gisèle Usanase, Nathalie Azema, Youssef El Bitouri & Jean-Claude Souche

  2. LGEI, IMT Mines Alès, Alès, France

    Catherine Gonzalez

Authors
  1. Gisèle Usanase
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  2. Nathalie Azema
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  3. Youssef El Bitouri
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  4. Jean-Claude Souche
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  5. Catherine Gonzalez
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Contributions

Gisèle Usanase (GU) performed the experimental campaign. GU interpreted and analysed the experimental results. Nathalie Azèma (NA) helped GU to perform granular and physico-chemical characterisations (settling, sediment characterisation, etc.). NA interpreted and analysed the experimental results. Youssef El Bitouri (YEB) helped GU to collect sediments and to perform granular and physico-chemical characterisations (settling, sediment characterisation, etc.). YEB interpreted and analysed the experimental results. Jean-Claude Souche (JCS) helped GU to collect sediments and to perform granular and physico-chemical characterisations (settling, sediment characterisation, etc.). JCS interpreted and analysed the experimental results. Catherine Gonzalez (CG) helped GU to perform granular and physico-chemical characterisations (sediment characterisation, PAHs characterisation). CG interpreted and analysed the experimental results.

All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Youssef El Bitouri.

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Usanase, G., Azema, N., Bitouri, Y.E. et al. Contribution of settling measurements to the study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons’ (PAHs) mobilisation during resuspension of PAHs-associated sediment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 68349–68363 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15236-z

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