PAHs and BTEX in Groundwater of Gasoline Stations from Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil

• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-007-9300-x
• Publication Date: 2007-11-12T17:10:38Z
• Authors: Eliane C. Pires d...; Annibal Duarte Pe...
• Keywords: Benzene; Fresh Water; Xylenes; 01 natural sciences; 6. Clean water; 13. Climate action; Benzene Derivatives; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; Gasoline; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Toluene; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

PAHs and BTEX were studied in groundwater from monitoring wells of gasoline stations of Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil during 2003 and 2004. Total PAH concentration ranged from 0.05 to 84.9 microg/L. Total BTEX concentration varied between not-detected to 3.6 x 10(3) microg/L. Some samples exceeded the maximum concentration limit of Brazilian regulations for benzene in fresh or drinking water. Carcinogenic PAHs were found in few samples but only one sample in each year exceeded the regulated concentrations for benzo[a]pyrene. The concentrations of PAHs and BTEX indicate that some places may be contaminated by gasoline leakage.