Occurrence and distribution of emerging micropollutants in the central part of the German Bight

Pavel Ondruch; Michael P Schluesener; Georg Dierkes; Kevin Jewell; Torben Kirchgeorg; Simone Hasenbein; Thomas A Ternes; Arne Wick

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115427

Occurrence and distribution of emerging micropollutants in the central part of the German Bight

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Oct:195:115427. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115427. Epub 2023 Aug 31.

Authors

Pavel Ondruch¹, Michael P Schluesener¹, Georg Dierkes², Kevin Jewell¹, Torben Kirchgeorg³, Simone Hasenbein³, Thomas A Ternes¹, Arne Wick¹

Affiliations

¹ Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, D-56068 Koblenz, Germany.
² Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, D-56068 Koblenz, Germany. Electronic address: dierkes@bafg.de.
³ Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), Department of Marine Science, Wüstland 2, DE-22589 Hamburg, Germany.

PMID: 37659386
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115427

Abstract

Micropollutants (MPs) are transported via rivers from industrial and urban areas to the German Bight (G.B.). In contrast to the mounting rivers less information is available on the occurrence of MPs and their transformation products (TPs) in the marine environment of the G.B. In this study 83 compounds, including 26 metabolites of pharmaceuticals and environmental TPs were measured in water at 46 sampling sites in estuaries of Ems, Weser, Elbe, and the G.B. 36 MPs were even detected in the open sea areas (salinity > 34 psu) at 0.07-5.1 ng/L and to the best of our knowledge 10 MPs were detected in the marine environment for the first time. Concentrations of 8 MPs exceeded PNEC values suggesting a potential risk for sea life. Spatial distribution and relation of MPs with salinity allowed identifying emission paths for certain compounds and revealed the emissions from the River Elbe and Rhine.

Keywords: Elbe; Ems; Estuaries; German Bight; LC-MS/MS; Metabolites; Micropollutants; Transformation products; Weser.