Occurrence and distribution of two phthalate esters in the sediments of the Anzali wetlands on the coast of the Caspian Sea (Iran)

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 89; no. 1-2; pp. 128 - 135
• Main Authors: Hassanzadeh, Nasrin, Esmaili Sari, Abbas, Khodabandeh, Saber, Bahramifar, Nader
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.12.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Anzali wetland; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Di(2-ethylhexylphtalate) (DEHP); Di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP); Dibutyl Phthalate - analysis; Diethylhexyl Phthalate - analysis; Ecological Risk Limit (ERL); Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Environmental Pollution - analysis; Esters - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Iran; Marine; Marine and brackish environment; Plastics; Sea water ecosystems; Sediment; Synecology; Urbanization; Wetlands; Caspian Sea; West Asia; Iran; Asia; Eurasia; Middle east; ISW, Iran; Eurasia, Caspian Sea; Ecological Risk Limit (ERL); Di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP); Sediment; Di(2-ethylhexylphtalate) (DEHP); Anzali wetland; Pesticides; Risk; Sediments; Herbicide; Phthalates; Marine environment; Ester; Phenols; Wetland
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.10.017

Concentration of DEHP and DnBP in surface sediments sample of Anzali wetland, Iran, were collected from 43 stations. In some locations, concentrations were exceeded a recommended environmental risk limit (ERL). [Display omitted] •Determining the first data on distribution of phthalate esters in sediment of Iran.•Concentrations of PAEs in sediments were positively correlated with organic matter.•Concentrations of DEHP and DnBP were exceeded an environmental risk limit.•Urbanization increased the discharge of PAEs because of usage of plastic materials. This study provides the first data on distribution of phthalate Acid esters (PAEs) in surface sediment samples taken from Anzali Wetland, Iran. These samples were collected from 43 stations. Two PAEs consist of di(2-ethylhexylphthalate) (DEHP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) were detected and the total concentrations of these two pollutants ranged from 0.25 to 43.12, 0.12 to 19.02μgg−1 dry weight, respectively. Among all the 43 samples analyzed, no sample was found to be free of DEHP and DBP, which indicates these two phthalate esters were ubiquitous in sediments. The concentrations in the near urban regions were higher than other regions because of higher discharge of PAEs from plastic materials in urbanized areas. Concentrations of PAEs were positively correlated with total organic carbon (TOC). Generally the median concentrations of DEHP and DnBP in the sediments were 15 and 14 times higher than the ERL. These results show that the Anzali wetland are highly polluted by major PAE congeners consist of DEHP and DnBP.