Plasticizers and bisphenol A: Emerging organic pollutants along the lower stretch of River Ganga, north-east coast of the Bay of Bengal. (1st May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mukhopadhyay, Moitraiyee; Chakraborty, Paromita
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 276(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-05-01
• Subjects: Plasticizers -- BPA -- Hooghly river -- Fate -- Source apportionment; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116697
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Hooghly River (HR), the other name used for the lower stretch of River Ganga, is a prime freshwater source in the eastern part of India. However HR has been evidenced with a variety of emerging organic pollutants (EOPs) in the recent past. Given the extensive use of plasticizers and additive in plastic products, we have investigated seven plasticizers and bisphenol A (BPA) in the surface and storm-water of HR up to the tip of the Bay of Bengal. Further using a previously published sediment data we have estimated the fluxes for the aforementioned EOPs. Surface water and storm-water concentrations of seven plasticizers varied between 92.62 and 770 ng/L (176.1 ± 104.8; Avg ± SD) and 120.9–781.5 ng/L (355.2 ± 232.5), respectively. BPA varied between 43 and 8800 ng/L (658.3 ng/L ± 1760) and 117.9–2147 ng/L (459.3 ± 620.2) in surface and storm-water, respectively. With the increase in salinity, a decreasing trend for bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was evidenced. However, concentration of BPA increased with the increase in salinity. Significant and strong correlation between DEHP and BPA (R 2 = 0.6; p < 0.01) in the suburban corridor might have resulted from sludge disposal of the scrap recycling activities. Using site-specific principal component analysis, unregulated disposal of plastic waste, particularly from such industrial belts and tourist spots were identified as the possible point sources for plasticizers and BPA in this region. Net diffusive flux based on fugacity fraction showed a trend depending on the pollutant's aqueous solubility and partition coefficient. However, transfer tendency from water to sediment was noticed in the sites having point source. Estimated ecotoxicological risk posed by BPA was higher for edible fishes and for lower order organisms, PAEs was the major contributor. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Geo-mean concentrations of plasticizers were had 2–5 fold higher in riverine region than estuarine region. Plastic debris in tourist spots is a possible source of BPA in Hooghly River. Industrial sludge was identified as a point source for DEHP in Howrah district. Sediment can act as a sink for DEHP and secondary source for BPA, DEP and DnBP. Abstract : Occurrence and eco-toxicological risk assessment of emerging organic pollutants in the lower stretch of Ganges.