Organic pollutant levels in an agricultural watershed: the importance of analyzing multiple matrices for assessing

GONZÁLEZ, M.; MIGLIORANZA, K.; GRONDONA S.; BARNI SILVA, F.; MARTINEZ, DANIEL E.; PEÑA, A.

Environmental Science Processes & Impacts

Royal Sciety of Chemistry

Lugar: CAMBRIDGE; Año: 2013 vol. 15 p. 739 - 750

2050-7887

This work study the occurrence and transport to aquatic environment of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the  Quequén Grande river basin, as representative of a catchment under diffuse pollution sources. (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the  Quequén Grande river basin, as representative of a catchment under diffuse pollution sources. Pollutant levels on soils, river bottom sediments (RBS), streamwater (Sw), suspended particle material (SPM), macrophytes and muscle of silverside were determined by GC-ECD. Soil Kd values for the current use insecticides, endosulfans and cypermethrin, were established. Total levels (ng g d.w-137 ) in soil ranged between 0.07 - 0.9 for OCPs, 0.03 - 0.37 for PCBs and 0.01- 0.05  for PBDEs. Endosulfan insecticide (-+-+sulfate metabolite) represented up to 72.5 % of OCPs. The low soil retention for -endosulfan (Kd 77) and endosulfan sulfate (Kd 100) allow their transport  to RBS, SPM and Sw. Endosulfan Sw levels sometimes exceeds international guidelines for aquatic biota protection (3 ng L-141 ). PCBs and PBDEs point-source pollution were related to harbour, dumping sites and pile tire burning. Tri and hexa PCBs congeners predominated in all matrixes and exceeded quality guideline values of 0.04 ng L-1 43 in Sw. Considering silverside muscle levels, none of the oral reference doses were exceeded, however, PCBs accounts for the 18.6 % of the total daily allowed ingest for a 70 kg individual. Thus, although PCBs and OCPs levels on  soil and RBS were low and did not go beyond quality guidelines, these compounds represent a risk to aquatic biota or human being and actions towards preventing this situation should be undertaken.The low soil retention for -endosulfan (Kd 77) and endosulfan sulfate (Kd 100) allow their transport  to RBS, SPM and Sw. Endosulfan Sw levels sometimes exceeds international guidelines for aquatic biota protection (3 ng L-141 ). PCBs and PBDEs point-source pollution were related to harbour, dumping sites and pile tire burning. Tri and hexa PCBs congeners predominated in all matrixes and exceeded quality guideline values of 0.04 ng L-1 43 in Sw. Considering silverside muscle levels, none of the oral reference doses were exceeded, however, PCBs accounts for the 18.6 % of the total daily allowed ingest for a 70 kg individual. Thus, although PCBs and OCPs levels on  soil and RBS were low and did not go beyond quality guidelines, these compounds represent a risk to aquatic biota or human being and actions towards preventing this situation should be undertaken.