Occurrence, distribution and sources of bisphenol analogues in a shallow Chinese freshwater lake (Taihu Lake): Implications for ecological and human health risk

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2017-12, Vol.599-600, p.1090-1098
• Main Authors: Liu, Yanhua, Zhang, Shenghu, Song, Ninghui, Guo, Ruixin, Chen, Meihong, Mai, Dina, Yan, Zhengyu, Han, Zhihua, Chen, Jianqiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bisphenol analogues; China; Ecology; Environmental Monitoring; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Humans; Lakes - chemistry; Phenols - analysis; Risk Assessment; Spatial distribution; Taihu Lake; Water and sediment; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.069

Since the production and use of BPA were regulated in China around 2008, several bisphenol analogues were widely used to substitute BPA in the manufacture of polycarbonates, epoxy resins, and plastics. However, there is limited understanding of the spatial distribution, potential sources and risk assessment for those bisphenol analogues. In this study, seven bisphenol analogues were investigated in water and sediment samples from Taihu Lake, China. Compared to the same lake in 2013 (range: 5.4–87ng/L for waters and 0.37–8.3ng/g dw for sediments), the samples from Taihu Lake contained comparatively higher BPs (2.0×102–9.5×102ng/L and 23–4.3×102ng/gdw) in 2016, indicating that the BPs levels in Taihu Lake have aggravated recently. In waters, BPAF has become the predominant congener in Taihu Lake, suggesting that BPAF was the most widely used substitute of BPA, recently. In sediments, BPA was the most abundant compound. Moderate or strong correlations between some individual BPs indicated that those BPs may have the common sources and/or similar environmental behavior. The strongly positive correlation between ∑BPs and TOC content indicated that TOC content was one of the major factors controlled the distribution of ∑BPs in the sediment. The risk assessment at the sampling sites showed no high eco-toxicity or estrogenic risk in Taihu Lake. [Display omitted] •Compared to 2013, the pollution level of BPs in Taihu Lake has aggravated in 2016.•BPAF became the predominant congener in the waters of Taihu Lake.•The structure alteration of BPs in the waters of Taihu Lake has been found.•The strong positive correlation has been observed between ∑BPs and TOC content.•No high risk was found in waters and sediments of Taihu Lake.