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Use of powdered coconut charcoal as a toxicity identification and evaluation manipulation for organic toxicants in marine sediments
Author(s) -
Ho Kay T.,
Burgess Robert M.,
Pelletier Marguerite C.,
Serbst Jonathan R.,
Cook Howard,
Cantwell Mark G.,
Ryba Stephen A.,
Perron Monique M.,
Lebo Jon,
Huckins James,
Petty Jimmie
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1897/03-407
Subject(s) - charcoal , environmental chemistry , activated charcoal , contamination , toxicity , chemistry , environmental science , adsorption , biology , ecology , organic chemistry
Abstract We report on a procedure using powdered coconut charcoal to sequester organic contaminants and reduce toxicity in sediments as part of a series of toxicity identification and evaluation (TIE) methods. Powdered coconut charcoal (PCC) was effective in reducing the toxicity of endosulfan‐spiked sediments by 100%. Powdered coconut charcoal also was effective in removing almost 100% of the toxicity from two field sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Powdered coconut charcoal did not change the toxicity of ammonia or metal‐spiked sediments; however, there was some quantitative reduction in the concentrations of free metals (element specific) in metal‐spiked sediments. Powdered coconut charcoal is an effective, relatively specific method to sequester and remove toxicity from sediments contaminated with organic contaminants.