Comparison of Single- and Sequential-Solvent Extractions of Total Extractable Benzo[ a]pyrene Fractions in Contrasting Soils

The fate and behavior of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil are of interest in the risk assessment of contaminated land and are usually based on determinations of fractions extracted from soil. For decades, either single- or sequential-solvent extractions have been used to determine PAH extractability in soils; however, there is a lack of certainty as to which fractions are being extracted by these techniques. This study is the first report of differences and similarities in the extractability of benzo[ a]pyrene (B[ a]P) in four contrasting soils (sandy loam, loamy sand, clayey loam, and sandy) when determined using both single-solvent (dichloromethane/acetone (DCM/Ace) mixture) and sequential-solvent (butanol followed by DCM/Ace) extraction. Residues after extraction were subjected to methanolic saponification (MeKOH). Butanol (BuOH) extractability and total extractability of B[ a]P following sequential-solvent extraction decreased significantly ( p 40%) amounts of nonextractable residues. The cumulative amounts of B[ a]P extracted in each soil by single- and sequential-solvent extractions were similar ( p > 0.05) at each aging period, which indicated access to similar B[ a]P fractions in soil by both solvent extractions. The similarities in the amounts of B[ a]P nonextractable residues recovered by MeKOH from pre-extracted soils, through either of the extraction methods, confirms that the total extractable B[ a]P fractions from both methods are similar