The Superfund Industrial Waste site is located southeast of Fort Smith Arkansas about eight miles. Local industrial companies would dump toxic chemicals such as paint wastes, Trichloroethylene, Toluene, and Cresol were disposed of as early as 1974 (EPA, n.d.). The most significant toxic chemical was Cresol (Cresol C7H8O) which is an isomer and can enter humans and animals through the skin and is anthropogenic (EPA, n.d.) (INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. WHO, 1995). Toluene (C₆H₅CH₃) is the next major chemical found at the Superfund site near Fort Smith Arkansas (EPA, n.d.). Toluene is a colorless liquid that is used in paint thinners and can enter the body through the air as an anthropogenic. Toluene can cause in most extreme cases liver and kidney damage (CDC, n.d.).
Cresols (C7H8O) environmental biogeochemistry is from the coal production and petroleum introduced at the Superfund site near Fort Smith Arkansas. Cresols are anthropogenic in that they produce toxins through transport and storage. These acid toxins of Cresols then can be distributed through the water as the main environmental biogeochemistry. Cresols consist of a white crystalline solid and yellowish liquid that is freely soluble in water. Once in the water through flooding Cresols can gain access to groundwater, vadose, and aquifers. When this occurs animals and humans exposed through the skin or through drinking of the Cresols can obtain burning from acid, organ failure from Cresols, and even death. Fish have a high tolerance to Crestols before 96 hours of receiving the toxin. After the 96-hour period, the mortality rate of fish, animals, and humans becomes extremely high. Cresols can easily spread through flood waters such as in the event at the Superfund site near Fort Smith Arkansas in 1977 being soluble and increasing the threat of well water toxicity (INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. WHO, 1995).
Toluene (C₆H₅CH₃) environmental biogeochemistry is a clear colorless liquid that is volatile with a vapor pressure of 3.82 kPa. Toluene is flammable and explosive in the air. It also contains small amounts of Benzene. Toluene will not react with other chemical substances such as dilute acids/bases and is not corrosive. In the atmosphere, Toluene will react with hydroxyl radicals to produce a large number of oxidation products. Flame ionization detectors can indicate Toluene in the atmosphere with detection of 1 µg/m3 or 1 µg/kg. Toluene is used as a solvent carrier in plants and paint thinners. There are many other uses for Toluene but in this report, the limitation is associated with the actual Superfund toxin and its properties that affected the site. Toluene is also soluble in water and can cause harm to animals, fish, and humans. The main harm to humans is through air contact. Studies have shown that a prolonged effect of Toluene through ambient air at (200 - 400 ppm) resulted in neurological effects. Effects on children from Toluene have caused encephalopathy and could lead to permanent neurological damage. Spreading through water and air in the setting such as flooding and wind storm reaction is an easy way for Toluene to spread in the air and into drinking water. Large amounts of Toluene are located within the bedrock of the Superfund site and this can eventually spread back into the water source of the region (INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. WHO, 1986).
The bioavailability of Cresols (C7H8O) in groundwater from wastewater treatment plants from industrial/manufacturing means has indicated levels of 1400 µg/liter within a study done in Denmark. Very little research has been done on drinking water with Cresols and this is because microorganisms will environmentally clean the water up. However, a lack of microorganisms can entertain the thought of high Crestol levels producing injury or mortality rates in fish, animals, and humans. Cresols are soluble in water and transport from topwater to lower water sediments is highly possible. Not enough information or studies have taken place to indicate if there is an excess amount of Cresols in drinking water around the world as most studies determined the main effects of Cresols came from wastewater treatment plants. Cresols can also transport through soils and KOC values in soil have been reported from between 32 and 3420. Also, hydrogen bonding plays a significant role in the movement of Crestols through soil (INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. WHO, 1995).
The bioavailability of Toluene (C₆H₅CH₃) is from ambient air concentrations. Studies done through volunteers in Japan indicate that 200 PPM would have eye, nose, and throat irritation, and mental confusion. At 600 PPM anorexia, nausea, loss of memory, and significant reduction of reaction time. When 4000 PPM to 30,000 PPM is indicated it would likely produce necrosis and death. Within the Superfund site near Fort Smith, Arkansas Toluene moved through flood waters into ground waters producing a toxic effect (INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. WHO, 1986).
References:
EPA. (n.d.). SUPERFUND SITE CLOSE OUT REPORT Industrial Waste Control. Retrieved From:
SUPERFUND SITE CLOSE OUT REPORT FOR THE INDUSTRIAL WASTE CONTROL SITE (epa.gov)
EPA. (n.d.). Cresol/Cresylic Acid. Retrieved From:
cresol-cresylic-acid.pdf (epa.gov)
CDC. (n.d.). Toluene. Retrieved From:
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. WHO. (1995). ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRITERIA 168 CRESOLS. Retrieved From:
Cresols (EHC 168, 1995) (inchem.org)
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY. WHO. (1986). ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRITERIA 52 TOLUENE. Retrieved From:
Toluene (EHC 52, 1986) (inchem.org)