APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY:

• Assessing levels of soil-bound petroleum contaminants that are available to be absorbed orally.

ADVANTAGES:

• Provides a significantly more accurate assessment of health risks than existing methods.
• Can detect any hydrophobic organic pollutant, e.g. PAH’s and chlorinated phenols.
• May reduce remediation costs and accelerate release of land for alternative use.
• Protocol has been validated by animal model.

DESCRIPTION:

Hoi-Ying Holman and co-workers have developed a novel method that accurately measures the level of ingested hydrophobic organic pollutants that are bioavailable, i.e. absorbable by the body.  Implementing this method may improve overall efficiency and cost effectiveness of petroleum-contaminated remediation efforts.

The current method of determining levels of petroleum contamination relies on the direct measurement of petroleum products in soil samples.  Lacking a model to determine actual bioavailability, scientists currently estimate that 100% of carcinogenic PAHs and other toxic hydrocarbons found in surface soils at petroleum contaminated sites are absorbed into the bloodstream.  However, this approach can significantly overestimate risk as only a fraction of contaminants are available to be absorbed into systemic circulation.  Current measurements can lead to substantially increased remediation expenses but negligible risk reduction.

STATUS: U.S. Patent #6,040,188. Available for licensing

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Holman, H.Y., Goth-Goldstein R., Aston D., Yun M., Kengsoontra J.,“Evaluation of Gastrointestinal Solubilization of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Residues in Soil Using an in Vitro Physiologically Based Model,”Environ Sci Technol. 2002, 36,1281-6.

REFERENCE NUMBER: IB-1369