Occurrence and distribution of phthalate esters in riverine sediments from the Pearl River Delta region, South China

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.038

Marine Pollution Bulletin

Volume 83, Issue 1, 15 June 2014, Pages 358-365

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.038 Get rights and content

Highlights

•
This work is the first investigation of phthalate esters (PAEs) in riverine sediments of the Pearl River Delta region.
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Elevated sedimentary PAEs concentrations were observed in the vicinity of wastewater discharge and sewage overflows.
•
Diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) dominated the PAEs.
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Composition and distribution of PAEs linked to local sources, transport, mixing and sedimentation.
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Sedimentary PAEs in the PRD region exceeded a recommend environmental risk limit.

Abstract

Sixty-eight sediment samples collected from Dongjiang River, Xijiang River, Beijiang River and Zhujiang River in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, Southern China, were analyzed for 16 phthalate esters (PAEs). PAEs were detected in all riverine sediments analyzed, which indicate that PAEs are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. The Σ₁₆PAEs concentrations in riverine sediments in the PRD region ranged from 0.567 to 47.3 μg g⁻¹ dry weight (dw), with the mean and median concentrations of 5.34 μg g⁻¹ dw and 2.15 μg g⁻¹ dw, respectively. Elevated PAEs concentrations in riverine sediments in the PRD region were found in the highly urbanized and industrialized areas. Of the 16 PAEs, diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) dominated the PAEs, with the mean and median concentrations of 1.12 μg g⁻¹ dw, 0.420 μg g⁻¹ dw and 3.72 μg g⁻¹ dw, and 0.429 μg g⁻¹ dw, 0.152 μg g⁻¹ dw and 1.55 μg g⁻¹ dw, respectively, and accounted for 94.2–99.7% of the Σ₁₆PAEs concentrations. Influenced by local sources and the properties of PAEs, a gradient trend of concentrations and a fractionation of composition from more to less industrialized and urbanized areas were discovered. As compared to the results from other studies, the riverine sediments in the PRD region were severely contaminated with PAEs. Information about PAEs contamination status and its effect on the aquatic organisms in the PRD region may deserve further attention.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21077138 and 40971133), and the Research Foundation of Science and Technology Project in Guangdong (No. 2010B030700011).

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BaselineOccurrence and distribution of phthalate esters in riverine sediments from the Pearl River Delta region, South China

Highlights

Abstract

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

J. Hazard. Mater.

Sci. Total Environ.

Sci. Total Environ.

Sci. Total Environ.

Mar. Pollut. Bull.

Water Res.

Chemosphere

Trends Anal. Chem.

Mar. Pollut. Bull.

Environ. Pollut.

Environ. Int.

Sci. Total Environ.

Chemosphere

Reprod. Toxicol.

Atmos. Environ.

Chemosphere

Environ. Int.

Environ. Pollut.

Mar. Pollut. Bull.

Atmos. Environ.

Sci. Total Environ.

Chemosphere

J. Hazard. Mater.

Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.

Environ. Int.

J. Hazard. Mater.

Environ. Pollut.

Baseline
Occurrence and distribution of phthalate esters in riverine sediments from the Pearl River Delta region, South China