Natural chromatographic separation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX compounds) in a gasoline contaminated ground water aquifer

Abstract The concentrations of aromatic volatile hydrocarbons (e.g. benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and total xylenes, or BTEX) are commonly determined during the course of ground water investigations at gasoline contaminated sites. The physical and chemical properties of BTEX compounds (e.g. solubility, vapor pressure, Kow, Koc) are important characteristics which partially control the distribution of these compounds in the subsurface. Based upon these characteristics, the relative mobility of these compounds in ground water aquifers is predicted to be: xylene