Pentachlorophenol in Soil Adjacent to Utility Poles in New York State

Edward F. Neuhauser, Ishwar P. Murarka, Scott Shupe, and Martha Mayer

In cooperation with the Electric Power Research Institute, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation completed detailed soil sampling and analyses to determine distributions of chlorophenols in the vicinity of in-service utility poles in New York State and biodegradation rates. Samples were aligned along cardinal compass directions and collected from four depths at 7.6, 20.3, 45.7 and 76.2 cm (3, 8, 18, and 30 in) from poles. Sample depths varied with pole length. The species of wood and pole age showed little effect on distribution of chlorophenols in soil. The release of leached pentachlorophenol (PCP) was shown to be limited to short distances from the poles, 7.6 cm (3 in) mainly. The majority of maximum PCP concentrations in soil were less than 100 mg/kg and occurred in surface and shallow samples. Secondary tetrachlorophenols and trichlorophenols, which occur in PCP treatment solutions, showed distributions in soil similar to PCP. Soil pH for samples from the Adirondack region was relatively lower than for samples from other regions. The frequency of high PCP concentrations was greater for the Adirondack area samples than for samples from the other state areas. The average half-life of PCP in New York soil during laboratory studies was less than three years. The results of the sampling and laboratory testing demonstrate that site-specific factors influence the behavior of PCP in the vicinity of in-service poles.

Keywords: Soil, biodegradation, New York State, chlorophenols, tetrachlorophenols, trichlorophenols, pentachlorophenol, preserved wood pole