PCDDS, PCDFS, PCBS and HCB in marine and estuarine sediments from Queensland, Australia (original) (raw)

Evidence for the presence of a widespread PCDD source in coastal sediments and soils from Queensland, Australia

Chemosphere, 2001

Recent studies have demonstrated the occurrence of elevated levels of higher chlorinated PCDDs in the coastal environment of Queensland, Australia. This study presents new data for OCDD contamination and full PCDD/F pro®le analysis in the environment of Queensland. Marine sediments, irrigation drain sediments and topsoil were collected from sites that were expected to be in¯uenced by speci®c land-use types. High OCDD concentrations were associated mainly with sediments collected near the mouth of rivers which drain into large catchments in the tropical and subtropical regions. Further, analysis of sediments from irrigation drains could be clearly dierentiated on the basis of OCDD contamination, with high concentrations in samples from sugarcane drains collected from coastal regions, and low concentrations in drain sediments from drier inland cotton growing areas. PCDD/F congener-speci®c analysis demonstrated almost identical congener pro®les in all samples collected along the coastline. This indicates the source to be widespread. Pro®les were dominated by higher chlorinated PCDDs, in particular OCDD whereas 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDFs were below the limit of quanti®cation in the majority of samples. The full PCDD/F pro®le analysis of samples strongly resemble those reported for lake sediments from Mississippi and kaolinite samples from Germany. Strong similarities to these samples with respect to congener pro®les and isomer patterns may indicate the presence of a similar source and/or formation process that is yet unidenti®ed.

Distribution of PBDEs, HBCDs and PCBs in the Brisbane River estuary sediment

Marine pollution bulletin, 2017

To date, very little or no data exist in literature for some brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polychlorinated biphenyls in Queensland sediments. These pollutants were measured in the sediments along the Brisbane River estuary. The target compounds were regularly detected in measurable concentrations: PBDEs=33.3-97.8% (n=45), PCBs=94.1-100% (n=51) and HBCDs=79-98% (n=48). Consistently, >90% of the observed ∑8PBDE concentration was attributed to BDE-209. Mean PBDE levels (ng/g dry wt.) were: 4.4±3.2 (∑8PBDE) and 4.4±3.0 (BDE-209) across 22 sampling sites. The mean ∑7PCB and ∑HBCD were 5.4±4.5 and 1.0±1.5ng/g dry wt. respectively. The 25% (α-HBCD), 8% (β-HBCD) and 67% (γ-HBCD) diastereoisomer contributions observed were consistent with values reported in the literature. Contaminant levels are fairly distributed along the River and were generally low compared to similar studies around the world.

Historical trends of PBDEs and HBCDs in sediment cores from Sydney estuary, Australia

The Science of the total environment, 2015

This paper presents the first historical data on the occurrence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDs) in estuarine sediment from Australia. Sediment cores and surficial sediment samples were collected from four locations within Sydney estuary, Australia. Large increases in concentrations were observed for all compounds between 1980 and 2014, especially for BDE-209 (representative usage of Deca-BDE commercial mixture), which was found in surficial sediment at an average concentration of 42ng/g dry wt (21-65ng/g dry wt). PBDE congeners representative of both the Penta- and Octa-BDE commercial mixtures (∑6PBDEs) were also found in their highest concentrations in surficial sediments (average: 1.3ng/g dry wt; range: 0.65-2.5ng/g dry wt). PBDE concentrations in surficial sediments were relatively high when compared with those presented in the available literature. This suggests that their input into the Sydney estuary has not decreased since their ba...

Investigations into the PCDD contamination of topsoil, river sediments and kaolinite clay in Queensland, Australia

Chemosphere, 2002

Recent ®ndings of elevated PCDDs from an unknown source in the coastal marine environment of Queensland, Australia has instigated further investigations into the distribution of, and environments associated with the PCDD contamination. This study presents data for OCDD concentrations in the coastal, mountainous and inland environment of Queensland. Additionally, full 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) pro®les from dierent land-use types and environments in the coastal region were analysed. Distinct east±west gradients were detected in topsoil collected from various bushland regions with elevated OCDD concentrations con®ned to the coastal region. However, PCDD/F results from topsoil and river sediments collected in the Queensland coastal region suggest that elevated OCDD concentrations cannot be attributed to any of the environments, land-use or industry types investigated. PCDD/F congener pro®les from select samples were remarkably similar to those previously described in marine sediments collected along the entire Queensland coastline. In addition, kaolinite clay samples from Queensland exhibited elevated OCDD concentrations, and PCDD/F pro®les in these samples were similar to those detected in kaolinite clays elsewhere. Natural formation processes have been hypothesised as the source of elevated PCDDs in Queensland and other locations, where similar PCDD/F pro®les and the general lack of anthropogenic sources are evident. This study presents additional data supporting this hypothesis and provides further information that may assist in the identi®cation of the processes involved in the natural formation of PCDDs.

Occurrence of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in superficial sediment of Portuguese estuaries

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2014

Superficial sediments collected from seven estuarine systems located along the Portuguese coast were analyzed for 7 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), 10 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs). Total PCDD/F concentration ranged from 4.6 to 464 pg g −1 dry weight (dw), while that of dl-PCBs varied from 26.6 to 8,693 pg g −1 dw. In general, the highest PCDD/F and dl-PCB concentrations were associated with densely populated and industrially impacted areas. Additionally, PCDD/F revealed a predominance of octachlorodibenzodioxin (OCDD) to total PCDD/Fs, while PCB 118 was the major contributor to total dl-PCBs. This study provided a global perspective of the contamination status of Portuguese estuaries by dioxin-like compounds and allowed a comparison between the investigated systems and other systems worldwide. PCDD/F and dl-PCB levels found in the collected sediments were lower than those of highly impacted areas from different parts of the globe. Nevertheless, comparison with guidelines and quality standards from other countries indicated that some Portuguese estuarine areas with a high industrialization level present PCDD/F and dl-PCB concentrations in superficial sediment that may constitute a risk to aquatic organisms.

An assessment of the concentrations of PCDDs/Fs in contaminated bottom sediments and their sources and ecological risk

Journal of Soils and Sediments

Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine the levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F), two types of persistent organic pollutant (POP), in an urban retention reservoir located in an industrial zone within a coal-mining region. It also assesses the potential ecological risk of the PCDDs/Fs present in bottom sediments and the relationship between their content and the fraction of organic matter. Materials and methods The sediment samples were collected from Rybnik Reservoir, located in the centre of the Rybnik Coal Region, Silesia, one of Poland’s major industrial centres. Seventeen PCDD/F congeners in the surface of the sediments were analysed using high-resolution gas chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Results and discussion The toxic equivalency (TEQ) of the PCDDs/Fs in the sediments ranged from 1.65 to 32.68 pg TEQ g−1. PCDDs constituted 59–78% of the total PCDDs/Fs, while the PCDFs accounted for 2...

PCDD/F and PCB history in dated sediments of a rural lake

Chemosphere, 2002

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD), dibenzofurans (PCDF) and biphenyls (PCB) were analysed from a sediment core, which had been sampled from a remote lake in Finland. The deepest subsamples were analysed from a depth of 4.0 m, and were more than 8000 years old. At the surface of the sediment core, low levels of industrial background contamination were detected. The sum of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs was 35 ng/kg d.w. (dry weight), or 1.2 ng/kg d.w. in WHO's toxicity equivalent, WHO-TEQ. The annual accumulation rate of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs was 1.26 ng m À2 a À1 . Deeper in the core, PCDD/F concentrations ranged between 2.11 and 11.1 ng/kg d.w. (0.24 and 1.70 ng/kg d.w. WHO-TEQ) and the accumulation rate was 0.11 ng m À2 a À1 . A characteristic PCDD/F congener profile was found in all pre-industrial sediment layers. The order of concentrations was OCDD > 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD > 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD > 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD > 2,3,7,8-TCDD, and concentrations of 2,3,7,8chlorinated dibenzofurans were below the detection limit. Similar congener profiles have previously been described in samples for which natural PCDD/F formation has been proposed. PCBs were present at low levels in all of the sediment samples. The sum of the PCB concentrations of the sediment subsamples ranged between 50 and 2540 ng/kg d.w., and the three predominant congeners in the core were PCBs 18, 52, and 110. Ó

Polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in marine and lacustrine sediments from the Shandong Peninsula, China

Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2010

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in sediments from Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea coastal waters and lakes in Shandong Peninsula were determined. The total PCB concentrations of the measured 50 congeners ( 50PCBs) in the sediments ranged from 273.7 to 644.5 pg g −1 dw (dry weight). The PCB congener profiles in the lacustrine sediments were different from those in the marine sediments. TriCBs and TetraCBs were the dominant homologues in marine sediments, whereas in the sediments from the Nansi Lakes, contributions of PCB homologues were similar. The total concentrations of 2,3,7,8-PCDD/Fs ranged from 6.2 to 27.4 pg g −1 dw. The congener profiles of 2,3,7,8-sustituted PCDD/Fs for the sediments were generally similar for both the lakes and the coastal sea areas in Shandong Peninsula. They were characterized by high OCDD, followed by 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD and OCDF. The congener profiles of PCDD/Fs in the sediments were consistent with the profiles of main dominant PCDD/Fs in pentachlorophenol and sodium pentachlorophenate products in China. PCDD/F-TEQ ranged from 0.11 to 0.80 pg TEQ g −1 dw. The dioxinlike PCB-TEQ had concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 0.08 pg TEQ g −1 dw, mainly from PCB126. PCBs and PCDD/Fs concentrations found in the sediments were from background to low polluted levels.