Dioxin-like chemicals in soil and sediment from residential and industrial areas in central South Africa

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 76; no. 6; pp. 774 - 783
• Main Authors: Nieuwoudt, Claudine, Quinn, Laura P., Pieters, Rialet, Jordaan, Ilse, Visser, Maret, Kylin, Henrik, Borgen, Anders R., Giesy, John P., Bouwman, Henk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Africa, Central; Applied sciences; Benzofurans - analysis; Benzofurans - isolation & purification; Chemical analysis; Congeners; Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; dioxins; Economics and Business; Ekonomi och näringsliv; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use; Equivalence; Exact sciences and technology; Fish and Aquacultural Science; Fisk- och akvakulturforskning; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Gauteng; Geologic Sediments - analysis; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; H4IIE; Industrial areas; Luminescent Measurements; Miljö- och naturvårdsvetenskap; PCBs; PCDD/Fs; persistant organic pollutants; Persistent organic pollutants; Pollutants; Pollution; polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - isolation & purification; polychlorinated dibenzodioxins; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - analogs & derivatives; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - analysis; Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins - isolation & purification; polychlorinated dibenzofurans; Samhällsvetenskap; sediment contamination; Sediments; Social Sciences; Soil (material); Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; soil pollution; suburban areas; Toxicity; urban areas; South Africa; Gauteng; Central Africa; Africa; PCBs; Gauteng; PCDD/Fs; Persistent organic pollutants; H4IIE; High resolution; Chemical analysis; Dioxin derivatives; Bioassay; Toxicity; Polychlorobiphenyls; Sediments; Persistent organic pollutant; Gas chromatography; Halogenated hydrocarbon; Chlorine Organic compounds; Chlorocarbon; Detection limit; Toxic equivalency factor; Industrial area; Mass spectrometry; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2009.04.064

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a global concern due to their ubiquitous presence and toxicity. Currently, there is a lack of information regarding POPs from South Africa. Here we report and interpret concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDDs), -dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and co-planar-biphenyls (PCBs) in soils and sediments collected from central South Africa. High resolution gas chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS) and the H4IIE- luc bio-assay were used to identify and quantify individual PCDD/F congeners and to report the total concentration of 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo- p-dioxin equivalents (TCDD-EQ), respectively. TCDD-EQs determined by use of the bio-assay, and concentrations of WHO 2005-TEQ (toxic equivalents) determined by chemical analysis, were similar. The limit of detection (LOD) for the bio-assay was 0.82 and 2.8 ng TCDD-EQ kg −1, dw for sediment and soil, respectively. EQ20 concentrations determined by use of the bio-assay ranged from <LOD to 70 ng TCDD-EQ kg −1, dw for soil, and from <LOD to 45 ng TCDD-EQ kg −1, dw for sediment. Concentrations of WHO 2005-TEQ in soils were generally greater than those in sediments, and soils from the industrial area of Vanderbijlpark and the residential area of Klerksdorp contained the greatest concentrations. Based on the congener-specific HRGC/HRMS analyzes, concentrations of WHO 2005-TEQ ranged from 0.12 to 32 ng WHO 2005-TEQ kg −1, dw in sediments, and between 0.34 and 20 ng WHO 2005-TEQ kg −1, dw in soils. The sources, processes and threats that govern and are associated with the lesser concentrations in sediment and greater concentrations in soils need further investigation.