TY - JOUR
T1 - Phthalate esters in seawater and sediment of the northern South China Sea
T2 - Occurrence, distribution, and ecological risks
AU - Cao, Yaru
AU - Li, Jing
AU - Wu, Rongben
AU - Lin, Huiju
AU - Lao, Jia Yong
AU - Ruan, Yuefei
AU - Zhang, Kai
AU - Wu, Jiaxue
AU - Leung, Kenneth M.Y.
AU - Lam, Paul K.S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2022/3/10
Y1 - 2022/3/10
N2 - In this study, the occurrence and distribution of 15 phthalate esters (PAEs) in seawater and sediment from the northern South China Sea (NSCS) were investigated for the first time to improve understanding on the contamination status of PAEs in this region. The concentrations of total PAEs (∑15 PAEs) were found to range from 68.8 to 1500 ng/L, 46.0 to 7800 ng/L, and 49.2 to 440 ng/g dry weight in surface seawater, bottom seawater, and sediment, respectively. Among the 15 PAEs, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the predominant PAE congeners, with mean contributions of 44.7% and 24.0% in surface water, and 42.7% and 25.8% in bottom water, respectively. Moreover, diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) constituted the majority of ∑15 PAEs in the sediment (61.3%). Comparatively high concentrations of Σ15 PAEs were observed in seawater at the sites within the western NSCS, whereas relatively higher concentrations of Σ15 PAEs were detected in sediments at the eastern NSCS. River input and atmospheric deposition could be the main sources of PAEs in the NSCS. Preliminary risk assessment implied that DBP, DiBP, and DEHP posed low to high potential risks for marine organisms at different trophic levels. These results would be valuable for implementing effective control measures and remediation strategies for PAEs contamination in the region.
AB - In this study, the occurrence and distribution of 15 phthalate esters (PAEs) in seawater and sediment from the northern South China Sea (NSCS) were investigated for the first time to improve understanding on the contamination status of PAEs in this region. The concentrations of total PAEs (∑15 PAEs) were found to range from 68.8 to 1500 ng/L, 46.0 to 7800 ng/L, and 49.2 to 440 ng/g dry weight in surface seawater, bottom seawater, and sediment, respectively. Among the 15 PAEs, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the predominant PAE congeners, with mean contributions of 44.7% and 24.0% in surface water, and 42.7% and 25.8% in bottom water, respectively. Moreover, diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) constituted the majority of ∑15 PAEs in the sediment (61.3%). Comparatively high concentrations of Σ15 PAEs were observed in seawater at the sites within the western NSCS, whereas relatively higher concentrations of Σ15 PAEs were detected in sediments at the eastern NSCS. River input and atmospheric deposition could be the main sources of PAEs in the NSCS. Preliminary risk assessment implied that DBP, DiBP, and DEHP posed low to high potential risks for marine organisms at different trophic levels. These results would be valuable for implementing effective control measures and remediation strategies for PAEs contamination in the region.
KW - Hazard quotients
KW - Phthalate esters
KW - Risk assessment
KW - South China Sea
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85118825573&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151412
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151412
M3 - Article
C2 - 34742950
AN - SCOPUS:85118825573
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 811
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
M1 - 151412
ER -
