Distributions, temporal trends and ecological risks of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in sediments of Jiaozhou Bay, China

Xue Li; Xiaoxin Han; Rolf D Vogt; Jiaying Zhou; Boyang Zheng; Yutong Song; Xueqiang Lu

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112176

Distributions, temporal trends and ecological risks of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in sediments of Jiaozhou Bay, China

Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 Apr:165:112176. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112176. Epub 2021 Feb 20.

Authors

Xue Li¹, Xiaoxin Han², Rolf D Vogt³, Jiaying Zhou⁴, Boyang Zheng⁴, Yutong Song⁵, Xueqiang Lu⁶

Affiliations

¹ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, Tianjin 300350, China; Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, 0315 Oslo, Norway.
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, Tianjin 300350, China; Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, 0315 Oslo, Norway; Chuangchun Bureau of Ecology and Environment, Chuangchun 130022, China.
³ Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, Tianjin 300350, China; Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, 0315 Oslo, Norway; Centre for Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
⁴ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, Tianjin 300350, China.
⁵ Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 1958, Denmark.
⁶ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Tianjin 300350, China; Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology, Tianjin 300350, China. Electronic address: luxq@nankai.edu.cn.

PMID: 33621904
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112176

Abstract

Spatiotemporal distribution and ecological risk of the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic polymer and plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were investigated using both surface and core sediments in Jiaozhou Bay, China. The concentrations of PET and DEHP ranged 210.6-1929.7 μg/kg and 0-591.2 μg/kg, respectively. The depth profiles of PET and DEHP in the sediment cores indicated that PET and DEHP pollution increased since the 1970s, which is in accord with the regional PET and DEHP consumption history. The levels of PET in Jiaozhou Bay was found to represent low ecological risk based on the assessment models for Potential Ecological Risk factor and Potential Ecological Risk. The amounts of DEHP also posed a low risk to the aquatic organisms in the sediment phase as indicated by the Risk Quotient method.

Keywords: Distribution; Ecological risk; Jiaozhou Bay; Polyethylene terephthalate; di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate.

MeSH terms

Bays
China
Diethylhexyl Phthalate* / analysis
Phthalic Acids* / analysis
Polyethylene Terephthalates
Rivers
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Phthalic Acids
Polyethylene Terephthalates
Water Pollutants, Chemical
phthalic acid
Diethylhexyl Phthalate