Occurrence, Ecological and Health Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters in Surface Water of U-Tapao Canal, Southern, Thailand.

Okpara Kingsley,Banchong Witthayawirasak

doi:10.3390/toxics8030058

Okpara Kingsley, Banchong Witthayawirasak

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics8030058

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Abstract

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are well known for their environmental contamination and endocrine-disrupting effects on wildlife and humans. In this study, the occurrence of PAEs and ecotoxicological risk assessments were performed in one of the significant canals in southern Thailand, named U-Tapao. Water samples were collected and analyzed for the six most common PAEs by using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Of the 6 PAEs analyzed, only three PAEs, including di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), di (2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) were detected in water samples. The total concentration of PAEs ranged from 1.44 to 12.08 µg/L, with a mean level of 4.76 µg/L. The total average concentration of PAEs found in the canal was higher than the criteria of 3 µg/L for PAEs recommended for the protection of fish and other aquatic organisms by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The results of the potential ecological risk assessment of the risk quotient (RQ) method revealed that DEHP and DiNP posed a high risk to algae and crustacean and crustacean and fish, respectively, whereas DBP posed a medium risk to the different aquatic species. However, current levels of noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks via ingestion and dermal exposure in children and adults are within acceptable limits. The baseline data of PAEs in this canal will be beneficial to the strategic and future pollutant control along the canal network.

Highlights

In the last few decades, the ubiquitous occurrence and ecotoxicological risk of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in the aquatic environment have become a global issue
Of the six targeted PAEs investigated in the U-Tapao canal, three congeners were detected, including di (2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP)
The result obtained in this study revealed that DEHP might pose the most significant adverse effects on algae species, while DiNP may pose the most significant risks on crustacean and fish

Summary

Introduction

In the last few decades, the ubiquitous occurrence and ecotoxicological risk of phthalate acid esters (PAEs) in the aquatic environment have become a global issue. PAEs are mainly used as plasticizers in the production of plastics, rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and other polyethylene products to improve their flexibility, workability, and durability [1,2,3]. PAEs are used to improve the quality of a vast diversity of industrial, consumer, and personal care products [4]. PAEs residues have been frequently detected at measurable concentrations in aquatic ecosystems all over the world, due to high production and consumption volume, incessant release into the aquatic environment as well as their physicochemical properties [5,6]. PAEs contamination in the aquatic environments has been mainly attributed to the discharge of untreated and semi-treated wastewater from industrial and municipal activities, agricultural and aquaculture runoff, surface runoff from municipal solid waste sites, and atmospheric

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