2000 Development of Soil and Water Quality Guidelines for Sulfolane and DIPA: Environmental and Human Health

Brent Moore, Kotex and Dr. John Headley, Environment Canada (NWRI)

PHASE I (Laboratory Study)

  1. Determine the fate and transport of sulfolane and hydrocarbon compounds in plants (e., plant uptake, biodegradation in the root zone and plants, and/or transpiration to atmosphere).
  2. Determine a soil/plant partitioning coefficient for specific compounds. At present, risk assessment models assume that hydrocarbon concentrations in the plants are equal to concentrations in the soil, which may or may not be accurate.
  3. Evaluate potential ecological risk to animals posed by hydrocarbons in plants.

PHASE II (Field Study)

  1. Determine the concentrations of different hydrocarbon compounds in plants, using both weathered and unweathered compounds.
  2. Correlate field data to laboratory data to validate risk assessment protocol.
  3. Evaluate the applicability of plants for remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated sites (g., phytoremediation).
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