The influence of solid-phase organic carbon on the sorption of hydrophobic organic pollutants in landfill barriers, UK

Abstract The Oxford Clay from Bletchley, the Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset, and Tertiary mud (Wittering Formation) Whitecliff, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom were used as sorbent samples because their distinctive organic material characteristics (Amorphous matter rich and/or phytoclast rich). Organic was isolated for identification analysis using a non-acid extraction method (heavy liquid) traditional methods involving HF digestion. These materials then to determine influences on hydrophobic contaminants, (toluene naphthalene) sorption. petrology classification applied identify various types material. Amorphous displayed higher sorption capacity (Sorption–desorption distribution coefficient ( K d ), = 6,481, 59, 670; toluene naphthalene, respectively) compared literature values. matter-rich extracts demonstrated absorption than phytoclast-rich sorbents (e.g., Wittering Formation, 219, 10, 134; respectively). Implications results in landfill design/risk assessment modelling are discussed.