Temperature-dependence of soil/air partition coefficients for selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and organochlorine pesticides over a temperature range of -30 to +30 degrees C.

The soil/air partition coefficients (K(SA)) for two polycyclic aromatic carbons (PAHs) and six organochlorine pesticides (OCs) were determined by a solid-phase fugacity meter over a wide temperature range of -30 to +30 degrees C in a paddy field soil. Literature values for PAHs and OCs obtained by the same method were 1.9-5.1 times of present values at +20 degrees C. Experimentally determined K(SA) ranged over six orders of magnitude, with log K(SA) from 4.5 for alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane at +30 degrees C to 10.4 for trans-nonachlor at -20 degrees C. Separate linear regressions of log K(SA) and reciprocal absolute temperature were employed at temperatures above 0 degrees C and below 0 degrees C. The calculated enthalpies associated with the phase transfer from the soil to the air (DeltaH(SA)) over 0 to +30 degrees C range from 78 to 108 kJmol(-1), which are in a good agreement with the literature values.