At sites impacted by petroleum products or crude, the aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes (BTEX) as well as naphthalene and other polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are often the contaminants of greatest concern. However, alkanes are typically among the most abundant fractions in crude and petroleum products like gasoline and therefore significant contributors to total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) at impacted sites. In addition to an assays targeting the genes encoding enzymes responsible for biodegradation of BTEX, naphthalene, and other PAHs, QuantArray®-Petro includes an assay targeting the functional gene in the pathway for anaerobic biodegradation of alkanes. Alternatively, CENSUS® qPCR can be performed to quantify only the assA gene.
