Analytical Methods for Understanding Sources and Fate Processes of Emerging Environmental Contaminants

了解新兴环境污染物的来源和归宿过程的分析方法

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-04852
• 负责人: Ross, Matthew
• 金额: $ 1.46万
• 依托单位: Grant MacEwan University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=708519
• 关键词: Analytical; Methods; Understanding; Sources; Fate

The presence of chemical pollutants in the environment is of great concern to many people today. Knowledge of how physical and chemical processes influence pollutant concentrations in the environment is necessary to accurately determine sources of pollutants and for controlling their potential risks to humans and ecosystems. Of particularly concern to the Canadian environment are petroleum carboxylic acids (often referred to as naphthenic acids). These compounds are naturally present in bitumen and may enter the environment through the erosion of exposed bitumen outcrops. However, oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) contains high concentrations of these chemicals, which have been identified as the main driver of chemical toxicity in OSPW. Their detection in surface waters raises concerns about potential human sources and adverse effects on ecosystems. Petroleum carboxylic acids exist as a complex mixture of chemicals, which makes identification of individual components difficult. This, in turn, hampers understanding of potential sources and risks posed by these chemicals. We will address this knowledge gap by first reducing the complexity of the mixture by separating components based on chemical properties. Small and less complex portions of the mixture will be collected individually and the petroleum carboxylic acids in each will be converted to hydrocarbons. This conversion will to permit analysis using common instrumentation available in most laboratories. Additionally, by converting the petroleum carboxylic acids to hydrocarbons, well-understood and widely used methods developed for petroleum analysis can be used to characterize and identify components of the mixture-knowledge that will significantly increase understanding of its chemical composition. The developed method will be applied to understand sources and fate of petroleum carboxylic acids to the environment. Chemical fingerprints of petroleum carboxylic acids in surface water from sites not impacted by mining operations will be compared to potentially impacted sites to delineate natural and human sources of these compounds. We will also apply this new method to understand how chemical processes, such as photolysis, alter the chemical composition and impact concentrations of petroleum carboxylic acids in the environment. This research program will contribute new and necessary knowledge to our understanding of the chemical composition of petroleum carboxylic acids and their sources to the environment. This knowledge will be of importance for future assessments of risks posed by oil sands mining operations and petroleum spills, and ultimately play a significant role in protecting and remediating our ecosystems.

环境中化学污染物的存在是当今许多人非常关注的问题。了解物理和化学过程如何影响环境中的污染物浓度，是准确确定污染物来源和控制其对人类和生态系统的潜在风险所必需的。加拿大环境特别关注的是石油羧酸（通常称为环烷酸）。这些化合物天然存在于沥青中，并可能通过暴露的沥青露头的侵蚀进入环境。然而，油砂工艺影响水（OSPW）含有高浓度的这些化学品，已被确定为OSPW中化学毒性的主要驱动因素。在地表沃茨中发现这些物质引起了人们对潜在人类来源和对生态系统的不利影响的关切。石油羧酸作为化学品的复杂混合物存在，这使得难以识别单个组分。这反过来又妨碍了对这些化学品的潜在来源和风险的了解。 我们将通过首先根据化学性质分离组分来降低混合物的复杂性来解决这一知识差距。混合物的小部分和不太复杂的部分将被单独收集，每一部分中的石油羧酸将转化为碳氢化合物。这种转换将允许使用大多数实验室可用的通用仪器进行分析。此外，通过将石油羧酸转化为碳氢化合物，为石油分析开发的众所周知和广泛使用的方法可用于表征和识别混合物的组分，这将显著增加对其化学组成的理解。 所开发的方法将应用于了解石油羧酸的来源和归宿的环境。将对未受采矿作业影响的地点的地表水中石油羧酸的化学指纹与可能受影响的地点进行比较，以确定这些化合物的自然和人为来源。我们还将应用这种新方法来了解化学过程，如光解，如何改变环境中石油羧酸的化学成分和影响浓度。 这项研究计划将有助于我们了解石油羧酸的化学组成及其对环境的来源。这些知识对于未来评估油砂开采作业和石油泄漏造成的风险至关重要，并最终在保护和修复我们的生态系统方面发挥重要作用。