Polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from Three Gorges Reservoir

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the current contamination status of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs) in sediments from the mainstream and 22 primary tributaries of the Yangtze River in the Three Gorges Reservoir region. To accomplish this, the concentrations of 22 polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) congeners, 27 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, and 27 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in sediment samples were measured by GC-MS/MS. The result showed that the observed values of PBBs and PBDEs were 22.41 and 35.24 pg g−1 dw, respectively. PBB1, 31 and 103 were the predominant PBB congeners, while PBDE28, 47, 77 and 99 were the predominant PBDE congeners. PBB209 and BDE209 were detected in >39% of the samples, with geometric means 2.43 and 11.92 pg g−1 dw, respectively. PCBs were found to be the predominant compounds in sediment samples among the three PHAH subfamilies, with a geometric mean of 1,231.11 pg g−1 dw, and PCB8, 18, 28, 52 and 66 were the primary PCB congeners. The measured levels of PHAHs were compared with results recently reported in the literature and their respective sediment quality guidelines recommended by the USEPA. The levels of PHAHs in the present study were generally lower than their respective threshold-effect levels, or were comparable to those reported in relatively uncontaminated freshwater samples from other regions. Taken together, these results suggest that, in the reservoir, toxic biological effects on aquatic biota in response to PHAHs contamination of sediments can be expected to be negligible.