Biomimetic accumulation of PAHs from soils by triolein-embedded cellulose acetate membranes (TECAMs) to estimate their bioavailability

A new passive sampling device (PSD), a triolein-embedded cellulose acetate membrane (TECAM), was used to biomimetically accumulate naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene from ten spiked soils and a soil spiked with different concentrations of these polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). TECAM exposure conditions were optimized. The quantities of PAHs accumulated by TECAMs were positively and linearly related to their concentrations in the soil. PAHs accumulated by TECAMs were negatively related to soil organic matter (SOM) and positively related to the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) according to the results obtained from ten spiked soils. Aging time (1–150 days) had a significant effect on accumulation of PAHs by TECAMs. A good linear relationship (R2=0.970–0.993) was observed between TECAM-accumulated PAHs and PAHs accumulated by earthworms (Eisenia andrei). The data indicate that TECAM represents a useful surrogate to estimate the bioavailability of PAHs and perhaps other hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) in soils.