Equilibrium partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coal tar into water

The measurement of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons partitioned from eight coal tar samples from manufactured gas plants (MGPs) into water is discussed. Raoult's law convention for activity coefficients and hypothetical supercooled liquid solubilities were used to evaluate the measured partition coefficients. Results indicate that solubility primarily determined the release of PAH from coal tar disposed at MGP sites.