Contamination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in microlayer and subsurface waters along Alexandria coast,Egypt

The residues of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollutants in microlayer and subsurface seawater samples collected from Alexandria coast, Egypt, were analyzed by gas chromatography–electron-impact mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring mode (GC–MS-SIM). The pollutants studied were, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene and benzo[a]pyrene. Total PAH levels in microlayer ranged from 103 to 523 ng/l, while it ranged in subsurface samples from 13 to 120 ng/l. The Western Harbor location recorded the highest level of PAHs pollutant over all the other location for both subsurface and microlayer waters. The two major PAHs in microlayer water at the Western Harbor were fluorene and phenanthrene, making up 27% and 20% of the total PAHs, while the two major PAHs in subsurface water at the Eastern Harbor were phenanthrene and fluoranthene recording up 21% each of the total PAHs. The total PAH levels were generally in the nano-gram per liter for microlayer and subsurface seawater samples. The dominant PAHs in both subsurface and microlayer samples were fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene. The microlayer enrichment factor at Alexandria’s Mediterranean coast was ranged from 29 for fluorene to 3 for phenanthrene and benzo[a]pyrene which showed PAHs concentration in the microlayer with an average of five times more than the total PAH in the subsurface samples.     

Uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Trifolium pretense L. from water in the presence of a nonionic surfactant

A greenhouse study examined plant uptake of phenanthrene and pyrene, as representatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), from an aqueous solution containing a nonionic surfactant Tween 80. The uptake was conducted with 1.0 mg l(-1) phenanthrene and 0.12 mg l(-1) pyrene under a wide range of Tween 80 concentrations (0-105.6 mg l(-1)). Tween 80 at the test concentrations did not show any apparent phytotoxity toward the growth of red clover (Trifolium pretense L.). At concentrations generally lower than 13.2 mg l(-1), Tween 80 enhanced the plant uptake based on the concentrations and PCFs (plant concentration factors) of these two PAHs. When present at higher concentrations, Tween 80 inhibited the uptake of both PAH compounds by the tested plant. The maximal plant uptake was observed at 6.6 mg l(-1) Tween 80, in which PAH concentrations and PCFs were 18-115% higher than those in Tween 80-free controls. The total mass removal (off-take) of phenanthrene and pyrene by root or shoot increased initially and decreased thereafter with the increase in Tween 80 concentrations. Although shoot biomass was evidently larger than root, the off-take was much higher in root than shoot because of the larger root concentrations of these chemicals. Results from this study show promises for the potential efficacy of enhanced phytoremediation in PAH contaminated sites using surfactant amendment.     

The application of a mulch biofilm barrier for surfactant enhanced polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioremediation

Lab scale mulch biofilm barriers were constructed and tested to evaluate their performance for preventing the migration of aqueous and surfactant solubilized PAHs. The spatial distribution of viable PAH degrader populations and resultant biofilm formation were also monitored to evaluate the performance of the biobarrier and the prolonged surfactant effect on the PAH degrading microorganism consortia in the biobarrier. Sorption and biodegradation of PAHs resulted in stable operation of the system for dissolved phenanthrene and pyrene during 150 days of experimentation. The nonionic surfactant could increase the solubility of phenanthrene and pyrene significantly. However, the biobarrier itself couldn't totally prevent the migration of micellar solubilized phenanthrene and pyrene. The presence of surfactant and the resultant highly increased phenanthrene or pyrene concentration didn't appear to cause toxic effects on the attached biofilm in the biobarrier. However, the presence of surfactant did change the structural composition of the biofilm.     

Remediation of PAH contaminated soils: application of a solid-liquid two-phase partitioning bioreactor

The feasibility of a two-step treatment process has been assessed at laboratory scale for the remediation of soil contaminated with a model mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (phenanthrene, pyrene, and fluoranthene). The initial step of the process involved contacting contaminated soil with thermoplastic, polymeric pellets (polyurethane). The ability of three different mobilizing agents (water, surfactant (Biosolve) and isopropyl alcohol) to enhance recovery of PAHs from soil was investigated and the results were compared to the recovery of PAHs from dry soil. The presence of isopropyl alcohol had the greatest impact on PAH recovery with approximately 80% of the original mass of PAHs in the soil being absorbed by the polymer pellets in 48 h. The second stage of the suggested treatment involved regeneration of the PAH loaded polymers via PAH biodegradation, which was carried out in a solid-liquid two-phase partitioning bioreactor. In addition to the PAH containing polymer pellets, the bioreactor contained a microbial consortium that was pre-selected for its ability to degrade the model PAHs and after a 14 d period approximately 78%, 62% and 36% of phenanthrene, pyrene, and fluoranthene, respectively, had been desorbed from the polymer and degraded. The rate of phenanthrene degradation was shown to be limited by mass transfer of phenanthrene from the polymer pellets. In case of pyrene and fluoranthene a combination of mass transfer and biodegradation rate might have been limiting.     

Accumulation of phenanthrene and pyrene in rhizosphere soil

A study was conducted to determine PAH concentrations in the rhizosphere of plants grown in soil containing phenanthrene or pyrene. The rhizosphere of tall fescue and wheat grown in sterile soil contained 4-5-fold higher pyrene concentrations than unplanted soil. The rhizosphere of several plant species grown in non-sterile soil temporarily contained appreciably more phenanthrene or pyrene than unplanted soil, but those PAHs were degraded with time. The data suggest that plants accumulate such hydrophobic compounds in the rhizosphere after facilitating their transport toward the roots.     

Pinus nigra and Pinus pinaster needles as passive samplers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analysed in pine needles of different ages (from 6 to 30 months) collected from two species, Pinus nigra and Pinus pinaster, in seven sites located along a transect from a suburban to a rural area of Genoa (Italy). In all sites and for both species, concentrations of more volatile PAHs (phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene) were higher than those for other less volatile PAHs, which are preferentially sorbed to airborne particulates (benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzofluoranthenes, benzo[a]pyrene). Concentrations of total PAHs found in P. nigra in the rural sites were, on the average, 2.3 times higher than those in P. pinaster growing nearby. In both pine species, concentrations of volatile PAHs increased according to needle age. Annual trends of other PAHs were more variable, with a general decrease in older needles. P. pinaster needles are shown to be more reliable passive samplers, since they are more resistant to plant diseases, and considerable variation in PAH concentration was observed in P. nigra needles with moulds and fungi.     

Plant-accelerated dissipation of phenanthrene and pyrene from water in the presence of a nonionic-surfactant

Plant-accelerated dissipation of phenanthrene and pyrene in water in the presence of a nonionic-surfactant (Brij35) was studied. The mechanisms involved were evaluated, based on the investigation of plant uptake of these compounds from water with Brij35. The presence of ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) clearly enhanced the dissipation of tested PAHs in water with 0-296 mg l(-1) Brij35. The first-order rate constants (K), calculated from the first-order kinetic models for these PAH degradation (all significant at P < 0.05, n=8), of phenanthrene and pyrene in the presence of ryegrass were 16.7-50% and 47.1-108% larger than those of plant-free treatments, whereas half-lives (T1/2) of the former were 14.3-33.4% and 32.0-52.0% smaller than the latter, respectively. However, the promotion of PAH dissipation by ryegrass was found to significantly decrease with increasing Brij35 concentrations. In the range of 0-296 mg l(-1), low concentrations (< or = 74.0 mg l(-1)) of Brij35 generally enhanced plant uptake and accumulation of phenanthrene and pyrene, based on the observed plant concentrations and accumulated amounts of these chemicals from water. In contrast, Brij35 at relatively high concentrations (> or = 148 mg l(-1)) markedly restricted plant uptake of these PAHs. Plant accumulation of phenanthrene and pyrene accounted for 6.21-35.0% and 7.66-24.3% of the dissipation enhancement of these compounds from planted versus unplanted water bodies. In addition, plant metabolism was speculated to be another major mechanism of plant-accelerated dissipation of these PAHs in water systems. Results obtained from this study provided some insight with regard to the feasibility of phytoremediation for PAH contaminated water bodies with coexisted contaminants of surfactants.     

Residue level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Japanese paddy soils from 1959 to 2002

The residue level of 21 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the temporal changes in this level were investigated in paddy soils collected from particular experimental sites in Japan from 1959 to 2002. The average total PAH concentration in all the samples was 496 microg kg(-1), and it ranged from 52.9 to 2180 microg kg(-1). The residue level of the PAHs was the highest during the 1960s, rapidly decreased during the 1970s, and remained almost constant thereafter. Relatively high PAH concentrations were observed in soils from areas that experienced heavy snowfall and that had relatively low air temperature. The predominant PAHs were phenanthrene, fluoranthene, naphthalene, and pyrene, and their concentration overall and in relation to that of the total PAHs decreased each year since the 1960s. Similarities in the PAH profiles among the locations were determined using the concentration correlation matrix and cluster analysis, and ratios of the levels of specific PAH pairs were also calculated to determine their origin. The collected data suggested that the origins of soil PAHs changed chronologically from the burning of agricultural wastes such as stubble before the mid-1970s to the combustion of fossil fuel and its secondary products after the mid-1970s.     

Effects of fulvic acid concentration and origin on photodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aqueous solution: Importance of active oxygen

With an Xe arc lamp house as simulated sunlight, the influences of fulvic acid (FA) concentration and origins on photodegradation of acenaphthene, fluorine, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene in aqueous solution have been studied. Similar effects of FAs, collected from five places around China, on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) photodegradation have been observed. Active oxygen was of significance in PAH photodegradation with the presence of FAs. For systems with 1.25 mg L⁻¹ FAs, the contributions of OH to PAH photodegradation rates were from 33% to 69%. FAs had two opposite effects, i.e., stimulating the generation of active oxygen and advancing PAH photodegradation; competing with PAHs for energy and photons and restraining PAH photodegradation. Generally, photodegradation rates of the 5 PAHs decreased with the increase of FAs concentration; except fluoranthene and pyrene were advanced in solutions with low FA concentration. The influences of FA concentration on PAH photodegradation were more significant than FA origin.     

Treatment of PAHs in contaminated soil by extraction with aqueous DNA followed by biodegradation with a pure culture of Sphingomonas sp

The biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aqueous deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) solution from contaminated soil washing was investigated. Initial data with a model effluent consisting of anthracene, phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene that were individually dissolved in 1% aqueous DNA solution confirmed their positive degradation by Sphingomonas sp. at around 10(8)CFU mL(-1) initial cell loading. For anthracene and phenanthrene, complete removal was achieved within 1h treatment. Degradation of pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene took a relatively longer time of a few days and weeks, respectively. DNA-dissolved PAHs were also degraded relatively faster than PAH crystals in aqueous medium to suggest that the binding of the PAHs in the polymer does not pose serious constraint to bacterial uptake. The DNA was stable against the PAH-degrading bacteria. Parallel experiments with actual DNA solutions obtained during pyrene extraction from an artificially spiked soil also showed similar results. Close to 100% pyrene degradation was achieved after 1d treatment. With its chemical stability, the cell-treated DNA was re-used up to four cycles without a considerable decline in extraction performance.     

The roles of biological interactions and pollutant contamination in shaping microbial benthic community structure

Biological interactions between metazoans and the microbial community play a major role in structuring food webs in aquatic sediments. Pollutants can also strongly affect the structure of meiofauna and microbial communities. This study aims investigating, in a non-contaminated sediment, the impact of meiofauna on bacteria facing contamination by a mixture of three PAHs (fluoranthene, phenanthrene and pyrene). Sediment microcosms were incubated in the presence or absence of meiofauna during 30 days. Bioremediation treatments, nutrient amendment and addition of a hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium, were also tested to enhance PAH biodegradation. Results clearly show the important role of meiofauna as structuring factor for bacterial communities with significant changes observed in the molecular fingerprints. However, these structural changes were not concomitant with changes in biomass or function. PAH contamination had a severe impact on total meiofaunal abundance with a strong decrease of nematodes and the complete disappearance of polychaetes and copepods. In contrast, correspondence analysis, based on T-RFLP fingerprints, showed that contamination by PAH resulted in small shifts in microbial composition, with or without meiofauna, suggesting a relative tolerance of bacteria to the PAH cocktail. The PAH bioremediation treatments were highly efficient with more than 95% biodegradation. No significant difference was observed in presence or absence of meiofauna. Nutrient addition strongly enhanced bacterial and meiofaunal abundances as compared to control and contaminated microcosms, as well as inducing important changes in the bacterial community structure. Nutrients thus were the main structural factor in shaping bacterial community composition, while the role of meiofauna was less evident.     

PAH dissipation in spiked soil: impacts of bioavailability, microbial activity, and trees

While trees have demonstrated potential in phytoremediation of several organic contaminants, little is known regarding their ability to impact the common soil contaminant PAHs. Several species of native North American trees were planted in soil artificially contaminated with three PAHs. Plant biomass, PAH dissipation, and microbial mineralization were monitored over the course of one year and environmental conditions were allowed to follow typical seasonal patterns. PAH dissipation and mineralization were not affected by planting. Extensive and rapid loss of PAHs was observed and attributed to high bioavailability and microbial activity in all treatments. The rate of this loss may have masked any significant planting effects. Anthracene was found to be more recalcitrant than pyrene or phenanthrene. Parallel soil aging studies indicated that sequestration to soil components was minimal. Contrary to common inferences in literature, amendment with decaying fine roots inhibited PAH degradation by the soil microbial community. Seasonal variation in environmental factors and rhizosphere dynamics may have also reduced or negated the effect of planting and should be taken into account in future phytoremediation trials. The unique root traits of trees may pose a challenge to traditional thought regarding PAH dissipation in the rhizosphere of plants.     

Using Radiocarbon to Apportion Sources of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Household Soot

To determine whether polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in household soot were derived from the combustion of scrap wood or creosote that was impregnated in the wood (or some combination of both), the molecular composition and radiocarbon ( 14 C) content of the total carbon and several PAHs in the soot was investigated. The 5730-year half-life of 14 C makes it an ideal marker for identifying creosote-derived PAHs ( 14 C-free) versus those derived from the combustion of wood (contemporary 14 C). The 14 C abundance of phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, and retene was determined by accelerator mass spectrometry after solvent extraction and purification by preparative capillary gas chromatography. The molecular analysis (presence of retene and 1,7-dimethylphenanthrene) and bulk 14 C content (contemporary) of the soot indicated that wood combustion was a strong source of carbon to the soot. The 14 C of retene in two soot samples was also contemporary, indicating that it was derived from the combustion of the scrap wood. These results are consistent with previous work that has suggested that retene is an excellent marker of wood combustion. However, the 14 C content of phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene in one soot sample was much lower and revealed that these compounds had a mixed creosote and wood source. Using an isotopic mass balance approach, we estimate that 40 to 70% of phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were derived from the combustion of the scrap wood. The results of this study show that molecular marker and bulk 14 C analysis can be potentially misleading in apportioning sources of every PAH, and that molecular-level 14 C analysis of PAHs can be a powerful tool for environmental forensics.     

Effect of birch (Betula spp.) and associated rhizoidal bacteria on the degradation of soil polyaromatic hydrocarbons, PAH-induced changes in birch proteome and bacterial community

Two birch clones originating from metal-contaminated sites were exposed for 3 months to soils (sand-peat ratio 1:1 or 4:1) spiked with a mixture of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs; anthracene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene). PAH degradation differed between the two birch clones and also by the soil type. The statistically most significant elimination (p ≤ 0.01), i.e. 88% of total PAHs, was observed in the more sandy soil planted with birch, the clearest positive effect being found with Betula pubescens clone on phenanthrene. PAHs and soil composition had rather small effects on birch protein complement. Three proteins with clonal differences were identified: ferritin-like protein, auxin-induced protein and peroxidase. Differences in planted and non-planted soils were detected in bacterial communities by 16S rRNA T-RFLP, and the overall bacterial community structures were diverse. Even though both represent complex systems, trees and rhizoidal microbes in combination can provide interesting possibilities for bioremediation of PAH-polluted soils.     

Antagonism of phenanthrene cytotoxicity for human embryo lung fibroblast cell line HFL-I by green tea polyphenols

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been detected in some commercial teas around the world and pose a threat to tea consumers. However, green tea polyphenols (GTP) possess remarkable antioxidant and anticancer effects. In this study, the potential of GTP to block the toxicity of the model PAH phenanthrene was examined in human embryo lung fibroblast cell line HFL-I. Both GTP and phenanthrene treatment individually caused dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth. A full factorial design experiment demonstrated that the interaction of phenanthrene and GTP significantly reduced growth inhibition. Using the median effect method showed that phenanthrene and GTP were antagonistic when the inhibitory levels were less than about 50%. Apoptosis and cell cycle detection suggested that only phenanthrene affected cell cycle significantly and caused cell death; GTP lowered the mortality of HFL-I cells exposed to phenanthrene; However, GTP did not affect modulation of the cell cycle by phenanthrene.     

Anaerobic PAH degradation in soil by a mixed bacterial consortium under denitrifying conditions

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the main classes of contaminants in the terrestrial environment. Concentrations of biphenyl, fluorene, phenanthrene and pyrene were added to soil samples in order to investigate the anaerobic degradation potential of PAHs under denitrifying conditions. A mixed population of microorganisms obtained from a paddy soil was incubated for 20 days in anaerobic conditions in the presence of soil alone or with nitrate, adding, as electron donors, PAHs and, in some samples, glucose or acetate. At regular time intervals oxidation-reduction potential, PAHs concentration, microbial ATP and nitrate concentration into the solution were measured. Degradation trends for each hydrocarbon are similar under all conditions, indicating that the molecular conformation prevails over other parameters in controlling the degradation. Poor degradation results were obtained when PAHs were the only organic matter available for the inoculum, thus confirming the recalcitrance to degradation of these compounds. Biodegradation was influenced by the addition of other carbon sources. As better degradation results were generally obtained when acetate or glucose were added, the hypothesis of a co-metabolic enhancement of PAH biodegradation seems likely. Thus, anaerobic biodegradation of PAHs studied, biphenyl, fluorene, phenanthrene and pyrene, seems to be possible both through fermentative and respiratory metabolism, provided that low molecular weight co-metabolites and suitable electron acceptors (nitrate) are present.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediments of the South China Sea

Sixteen sediment samples, collected from the South China Sea, were analyzed for 11 parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Total concentrations of the 11 PAHs studied in the sediments ranged from 24.7 to 275.4 ng/g with a mean of 145.9 ng/g dry sediment. PAH concentrations displayed a consistent distribution trend with the sediment organic carbon content. The linear regression analysis showed that the total concentration of PAHs in the sediment was significantly correlated to the sediment organic carbon content with a correlation coefficient of 0.735 (n=16). Special PAH compound ratios, such as phenanthrene/anthracene and fluoranthene/pyrene, were calculated to evaluate the relative importance of different origins. The collected data showed that pyrolytic input from anthropogenic combustion processes was predominant at almost all the stations investigated. Only one station, located in the proximity of oil wells, appeared to be contaminated predominantly by petrogenic input. Three anthropogenic PAHs, i.e. pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[e]pyrene, exhibited similar distribution patterns in the studied area, implying that these compounds possess identical sources. However, perylene did not entirely follow the distribution trend of the three PAHs, suggesting that the sediment perylene probably derived from other sources such as in situ biogenic origins. Dibenzothiophene, a sulfur heterocyclic aromatic compound, was also measured in this study.     

Hydrocarbon deposition and soil microflora as affected by highway traffic.

The proximity of a busy highway (90,000 vehicles/day) increased the amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil at the depth of 5-15 cm from 106 ng/g as a grassland background to 3095 ng/g dry soil at the highway verge (a sum of 10 PAH species). The PAH concentration was related to the distance from the source and exhibited a biphasic character, which is interpreted in terms of bimodal distribution of the exhaust microparticles with different rates of deposition. Similarly, the tendency of benz(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene to decrease their proportion with distance from the highway, in contrast to phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo(a)pyrene, and benzo(g,h,i)perylene, was attributed to their prevalent localisation on the heavier particle fraction. The abundance of bacteria (8.33 x background) and fungi (3.17 x background) close to the highway is thought to be a consequence of hydrocarbon deposition from the traffic that serves as a significant energetic input into the soil. The elevated concentrations of hydrocarbon substrates, as indicated by PAHs, increased both the absolute and relative numbers of the microbial degraders of diesel fuel, biphenyl, naphthalene, and pyrene. Their maximum numbers at 0.5-1.5 m from the pavement reached 1.3 x 10(4), 1.2 x 10(5), 1.1 x 10(4), and 6.6 x 10(3) colony-forming units (CFU) or infection units per gramme dry soil, respectively. On the other hand, the number of anthracene degraders (1.1 x 10(3) CFU per g dry soil) remained close to the detection limit of the enumeration technique used (0.1-0.2 x 10(3) per g dry soil), consistently with the absence of anthracene and higher linear PAHs in the investigated soil samples. The amounts of persisting PAHs justify artificial inoculation with effective degrader strains in the vicinity of motorways.     

Occurrence and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from vegetable fields of the Pearl River Delta, South China

Surface soil (0-20 cm) samples from nine representative vegetable fields located in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zengcheng and Huadu within the Pearl River Delta, South China were collected and analyzed for 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Total concentrations of 16 PAHs (Sigma(PAHs)) ranged from 160 to 3700 microg kg(-1). Large variations were observed also between concentrations of individual PAHs from different vegetable fields and within the site as well. Acenapthylene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[k]fluoranthene were consistently the most prevalent individual PAHs. The values of PAH isomer ratios [anthracene/(anthracene+phenanthrene) and fluoranthene/(fluoranthene+pyrene)] indicate that combustion processes are the major sources of PAHs. Concentrations of PAHs were poorly correlated with organic carbon concentrations of soils, suggesting different sources and also indicating that the PAH pollution of this area is recent. The same outcome is confirmed by the predominance of PAHs with fewer rings (相似文献   

Combined UV-biological degradation of PAHs

The UV-photolysis of PAHs was tested in silicone oil and tetradecane. In most cases, the degradation of a pollutant provided within a mixture was lower than when provided alone due to competitive effects. With the exception of anthracene, the larger pollutants (4- and 5-rings) were always degraded first, proving that UV-treatment preferentially acts on large PAHs and thereby provides a good complement to microbial degradation. UV-photolysis was also found to be suitable for treatment of soil extract from contaminated soils. The feasibility of UV-biological treatment was demonstrated for the removal of a mixture of phenanthrene and pyrene in silicone oil. UV-irradiation of the silicone oil led to 83% pyrene removal but no phenanthrene photodegradation. Subsequent treatment of the oil in a two-phases partitioning bioreactor (TPPB) system inoculated with Pseudomonas sp. was followed by complete phenanthrene biodegradation but no further pyrene removal. Totally, the combined process allowed 92% removal of the PAH mixture. Further work should focus on characterizing the photoproducts formed and studying the influence of the solvent on the photodegradation process.