Occurrence and Partitioning of Phenolic Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) Between Surface Water and Suspended Particulate Matter in the North Tai Lake Basin, Eastern China

Abstract

Concentrations and distribution of octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol (NP), and bisphenol A (BPA) in surface water and suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the north Tai Lake basin, China were studied. Aqueous and particulate (dry weight) concentrations for OP, NP, and BPA varied from 10.5-1,175 ng/L to <1.52-5,365 ng/g, respectively. The spatial distribution of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in dissolved and particulate phases showed that the amount of EDCs in water that were adsorbed to SPM gradually increased from upstream to downstream. There were good correlations between particulate EDCs and particulate organic carbon, with correlation coefficients of 0.46-0.57. Regression analysis of in situ SPM-water partition coefficients (log K' oc) and log K ow for EDCs indicated that the hydrophobicity of chemicals greatly contributed to their SPM-water partitioning. Strong positive correlations (r = 0.68-0.82) among in situ log K' oc of OP, NP, and BPA and flow velocity of water were observed, indicating the critical importance of riverine hydrodynamics on the sorption of these compounds.