Environmental fate and aquatic effects of propylbenzenes and trimethylbenzenes: A review

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2021-02, Vol.264 (Pt 2), p.128533, Article 128533
• Main Authors: Peng, Lihong, Lin, Yufei, Meng, Fanping, Wu, Jiangyue, Zheng, Yang, Sun, Tianli, Wang, Guoshan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Organisms; Aquatic toxicity; Benzene Derivatives - toxicity; Biodegradation; Environmental fate; Fresh Water; Propylbenzenes; Trimethylbenzenes; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128533

Propylbenzenes (PBZs) and trimethylbenzenes (TMBs) are aromatic hydrocarbon compounds widely used in many industries with potential release to different environments. The fate and aquatic effects of these compounds in the environment were evaluated. Evidence suggests that PBZs and TMBs will rapidly volatilise from water and bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. Under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, these compounds are readily biodegradable, whereby 1,2,3-TMB is more stable than the others. In air, all five compounds have atmospheric photo-oxidation half-lives ranging from 0.31 to 1.55 d. The toxicity data collectively show that PBZs, 1,2,4- and 1,3,5-TMB pose high acute toxicity effects on aquatic organisms. Furthermore, freshwater species are more sensitive to these compounds than marine species. There is not much data on the occurrence of PZBs and TMBs in the aquatic environment. This review presents the current state of knowledge on the fate of PBZs and TMBs. Moreover, the acute and joint toxicity of these compounds to different aquatic organisms, especially in marine organisms, warrants further investigation. •Propylbenzenes and trimethylbenzenes volatilise from water, but can bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms.•Those five compounds are readily biodegradable, and the process is affected by temperature, pH, microorganism species and so on.•Propylbenzenes, 1,2,4- and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene pose high acute toxicity on aquatic organisms.•Freshwater species are more sensitive to propylbenzenes and trimethylbenzenes than marine species.