Temporal occurrence and sources of persistent organic pollutants in suspended particulate matter from the most heavily polluted river mouth of Lake Chaohu, China

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 174; pp. 39 - 45
• Main Authors: Liu, Cheng, Zhang, Lei, Fan, Chengxin, Xu, Fuliu, Chen, Kaining, Gu, Xiaozhi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2017
• Subjects: China; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Pollution - analysis; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Lake Chaohu; Lakes - chemistry; Nanfei river; Particulate Matter; Persistent organic pollutants; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Potential risk; Riverine; Rivers - chemistry; Suspended particulate matter; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Nanfei river; Riverine; Persistent organic pollutants; Lake Chaohu; Suspended particulate matter; Potential risk
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.01.082

The Nanfei River is by many measures the most heavily polluted tributary to Lake Chaohu. In this study, the temporal occurrence and sources of four classes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), in suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the river mouth were investigated monthly during 2014. Results show that concentrations of all four POPs in SPM were higher than those in the sediment of Lake Chaohu. PBDEs (26.7 ng g−1 dry weight (dw)) were originated mainly from commercial deca-BDE mixtures. PCB concentrations (1.336 ng g−1 dw) were lower than those of sediments in many other water bodies worldwide. PAHs (2597 ng g−1 dw) and OCPs (57.38 ng g−1 dw) were the most common POPs. PAHs mainly had high molecular weights and originated from pyrolytic sources, with a small proportion of petrogenic origin. The predominant OCPs were DDTs, heptachlorepoxides, dieldrin, hexachlorocyclohexanes, hexachlorobenzene, and chlordanes. Most OCPs originated from historical use, except lindane. Generally, of all the POPs studied, those of primary ecological concern should be acenaphthene, fluorene, DDTs, and chlordanes. Higher concentrations of POPs were detected during winter and spring than in summer and autumn, probably because of the high river flow during the rainy season. The high concentration of POPs in the riverine SPM and the fractionation of POPs in the water and SPM of the river should be a focal point in the future study of Lake Chaohu. •Temporal variations of POPs in SPM from Nanfei River mouth were investigated.•PAHs and OCPs were the primary kinds of POPs contaminating the SPM.•PAHs mainly originated from pyrolytic sources.•OCPs mostly originated from historical use, except lindane.•Higher concentrations of POPs were detected during winter and spring.