Abstract
Prompt gamma ray analysis of soil samples contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons(PHC) like benzene was carried out using 14 MeV neutron beams. Intensities of silicon, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen gamma rays were measured for soil samples containing 2.20–10.4 wt% benzene. With increasing benzene concentration, the intensity of the C gamma rays increased while those of Si, H, and O gamma rays decreased. The reduction in Si, H, and O gamma ray intensities may be due to increasing neutron moderation effect in benzene-contaminated soil samples. The experimental intensities of gamma rays are in good agreement with the calculated intensities.The neutron moderation effects in benzene contaminated soil samples are about 26% weaker than those reported for soil samples containing moisture. From the slopes of silicon gamma ray intensity as a function of benzene concentration as well as moisture concentration, a simple scheme has been suggested to correct for the loss in carbon counts caused by neutron moderation from PHC and moisture in the soil samples.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kenneth Shultis J, Khan F, Letellierand B, Fawa Richard E (2001) Determining soil contamination profiles from intensities of capture-gamma rays using above-surface neutron sources. Appl Radiat Isot 54:565–583
Falahat S, Köble T, Schumann O, Waring C, Watt G (2012) Development of a surface scanning soil analysis instrument. Appl Radiat Isot 70:1107–1109
Szentmiklósi L, Zs Kasztovszky, Belgya T, Zs Révay, Kis Z, Maróti B, Gméling K, Szilágyi V (2016) Fifteen years of success: user access programs at the Budapest prompt-gamma activation analysis laboratory. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 309(1):71–77
Wielopolski L, Chatterjee A, Mitra S, Lal R (2011) In situ determination of Soil carbon pool by inelastic neutron scattering: comparison with dry combustion. Geoderma 160:394–399
Abha S, Singh CS (2012). In: Dr. Laura Romero-Zerón (ed) Hydrocarbon pollution: effects on living organisms, remediation of contaminated environments, and effects of heavy metals co-contamination on bioremediation. InTech Publisher. ISBN: 978-953-51-0629-6
Amadi A, Abbey SD, Nma A (1996) Chronic effects of oil spill on soil properties and micro flora of a rainforest ecosystem in Nigeria. Water Air Soil Pollut 86:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00279142
Dabbs WC (1996) Oil production and environmental damage (http://www1.american.edu/ted/projects/tedcross/xoilpr15.htm#r2)
Schwartz G, Ben-Dor E, Eshel G (2012) Quantitative analysis of total petroleum hydrocarbons in soils: comparison between reflectance spectroscopy and solvent extraction by 3 certified laboratories. Appl Environ Soil Sci. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/751956
Paíga P, Mendes L, Albergaria JT, Delerue-Mato CM (2012) Determination of total petroleum hydrocarbons in soil from different locations using infrared spectrophotometry and gas chromatography. Chem Pap 66(8):711–721
Kirka JL, Klironomosb JN, Leea H, Trevorsa JT (2005) The effects of perennial ryegrass and alfalfa on microbial abundance and diversity in petroleum contaminated soil. Environ Pollut 133:455–465
Mailaa MP, Cloeteb TE (2005) The use of biological activities to monitor the removal of fuel contaminants-perspective for monitoring hydrocarbon contamination: a review. Int Biodeterior Biodegradation 55:1–8
IAEA Report # IAEA-TECDOC-1121: Industrial and environmental applications of nuclear analytical techniques (1999)
Naqvi AA, Fares A, Al-Matouq FZ, Khiari AA, Isab M Raashid, Rehman Khateeb-ur (2013) Hydrogen, carbon and oxygen determination in proxy material samples using a LaBr 3: ce detector. Appl Radiat Isot 78:145–150
Naqvi AA, Khiari FZ, Liadi FA, Khateeb-ur-Rehman MA, Raashid AH Isab (2016) Moisture effect in prompt gamma measurements from soil samples. Appl Radiat Isot 115:61–66
Briesmeister JF (Ed) (1997) MCNP4B2 –A General Monte Carlo N-Particles Transport Code. Los Alamos National Laboratory Report, LA-12625. Version 4C, Los Alamos National Laboratory Report, LA-12625-M
Acknowledgements
This study has been funded through the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (NSTIP), project # 12-ENV2367-04. The support provided by the Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is also acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Naqvi, A.A., Khiari, F.Z., Liadi, F.A. et al. Neutron moderation effects in phc contaiminated soil samples. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 315, 475–480 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-5702-y
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-5702-y