Occurrence and risk assessment of organophosphate esters in urban rivers from Piracicaba watershed (Brazil)

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 28; no. 42; pp. 59244 - 59255
• Main Authors: Cristale, Joyce, Oliveira Santos, Izabela, Umbuzeiro, Gisela de Aragão, Fagnani, Enelton
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.11.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acute toxicity; Aquatic environment; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Esters; Flame retardants; Organophosphates; Pollution sources; Quotients; Rainy season; Recent Developments and Innovative Strategies in Environmental Sciences in Europe; Risk assessment; River basins; Rivers; Rural areas; Sampling; Toxicity; Toxicity testing; Urban areas; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Brazil; Organophosphorus flame retardants; Ecotoxicity; Risk assessment; Emerging contaminants; Surface water; Seasonality
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10150-2

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are substances globally used as flame retardants and plasticizers that have been detected in all environmental compartments. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and sources of ten OPEs in the Piracicaba River Basin (Brazil). Twelve sampling sites were selected in five rivers with different pollution sources; six sampling campaigns were performed encompassing dry and wet seasons. ΣOPEs ranged from 0.12 to 6.2 μg L −1 ; the levels in urban areas were higher than in rural and non-urban areas, but no overall tendency concerning the seasonal effect on OPEs concentrations was observed. Tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP), tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) were the most abundant and frequently detected compounds. Nine OPEs were detected at higher concentrations in a site affected by effluents from textile industries. An acute toxicity test using Daphnia similis was performed for tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP) for the calculation of a preliminary predicted no effect concentration (PNEC). The risk quotient (RQ) approach was applied and risk to aquatic environment related to TEHP levels was observed in areas adjacent to textile industries, but more toxicity studies are required for the determination of a more reliable PNEC.