ABSTRACT
This study investigated the variation in toxicity of phenolic endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) and determined the correlation between their concentrations. All twenty-four samples acquired from a polluted river contained five phenolic EDCs. The EDC nonylphenol (NP) concentration was found to be the highest (4.26 +/- 2.74 microg/L) in the river water. In addition the concentrations of nonylphenol diethoxylate, (NP2EO), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), and bisphenol A (BPA) were 1.58 +/- 1.37 microg/L; 2.90 +/- 2.77 microg/L; 2.89 +/- 2.15 microg/L; and 2.25 +/- 0.96 microg/L, respectively. Concentrations of NP, NP1EO, and OP were significantly greater in the daytime than in the nighttime samples. Furthermore, concentrations of NP, NP1EO, and NP2EO showed a strong correlation due to similar parent compounds while BPA and OP did not. NP1EO had the highest risk to aquatic organisms (hazard quotient, HQ = 26.3) and BPA the lowest (HQ = 2.24).The accumulative HQ sum (hazard index, HI) was 81.3 within all the samples. The HI was 110.3 in the daytime samples. This was 97% higher than in the nighttime HI (56.3), which suggested daytime anthropogenic discharges were an important source of toxicity to aquatic organisms.
Subject(s)
Endocrine Disruptors/analysis , Phenols/analysis , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Water/analysis , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Computer Simulation , Indicators and Reagents , Monte Carlo Method , Proportional Hazards Models , Taiwan , Time FactorsABSTRACT
This study investigated the occurrence of nonylphenol (NP) and 17beta-estradiol equivalent quotient (EEQ) concentrations in Kaoping River and two of its tributaries in Taiwan. During this study 44 water samples were collected from four sampling campaigns. Concentrations of NP in these samples ranged from 0.19 to 183.4 mug/L; EEQ ranged from less than limit of detection (1.41) to 32.2 ng-E2/L. NP concentrations in the main watercourse ranged from 0.19 to 9.21 mug/L; EEQ ranged from less than limit of detection to 2.13 ng-E2/L. These values are comparable to most rivers worldwide. The Wulo Creek tributary was polluted by animal waste discharges and the NP concentrations ranged from 0.72 to 6.8 mug/L. The EEQ ranged from 3.86 to 32.2 ng-E2/L. The Niouchou Creek tributary was polluted with domestic wastewater. Concentrations of NP ranged from 8.79 to 183.4 mug/L and EEQ ranged from 2.94 to 27.8 ng-E2/L. These data suggest that both inadequately treated livestock and human wastewater can cause high NP and EEQ concentrations.
