The Rate of Benzo[a]pyrene Apparent Loss in a Natural and Manure Amended Clay Loam Soil

ABSTRACT A study was conducted to evaluate the rate of Benzo[a]pyrene apparent loss from a previously uncontaminated agricultural clay loam soil and to determine the effect of cow manure, as organic substrate amendment, on B[a]P apparent loss. Soil microcosms were spiked with 10 μg/g B[a]P and incubated at 20°C. Triplicate sets of microcosms were periodically removed from incubation and solvent extracted. Concentrations of B[a]P in the soil were determined by HPLC analysis of the extracts. Under the conditions of this study manure was an ineffective amendment for increasing the rate of B[a]P apparent loss in the Durant clay loam soil. In addition there was no observable increase in apparent loss of B[a]P during a second B[a]P application period. A first order kinetic model was found to adequately characterize the loss of B[a]P in this study but tended to overestimate degradation during an extended incubation period.