Phthalate esters in seawater and sediment of the northern South China Sea: Occurrence, distribution, and ecological risks

Yaru Cao; Jing Li; Rongben Wu; Huiju Lin; Jia-Yong Lao; Yuefei Ruan; Kai Zhang; Jiaxue Wu; Kenneth M Y Leung; Paul K S Lam

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151412

Phthalate esters in seawater and sediment of the northern South China Sea: Occurrence, distribution, and ecological risks

Sci Total Environ. 2022 Mar 10:811:151412. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151412. Epub 2021 Nov 4.

Authors

Yaru Cao¹, Jing Li², Rongben Wu³, Huiju Lin³, Jia-Yong Lao³, Yuefei Ruan⁴, Kai Zhang⁵, Jiaxue Wu⁶, Kenneth M Y Leung⁷, Paul K S Lam⁸

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, The City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Department of Transportation and Environment, Shenzhen Institute of Information Technology, Shenzhen 518172, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China; Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, The City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China; Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, The City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China. Electronic address: kaizhang24@cityu.edu.hk.
⁶ School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China.
⁷ State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China.
⁸ State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China; Office of the President, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, SAR, China. Electronic address: paullam@ouhk.edu.hk.

PMID: 34742950
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151412

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Hazard quotients; Phthalate esters; Risk assessment; South China Sea.

MeSH terms

China
Dibutyl Phthalate
Esters*
Phthalic Acids*
Rivers
Seawater

Substances

Esters
Phthalic Acids
Dibutyl Phthalate
phthalic acid