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Temporal evolution of plastic additive contents over the last decades in two major European rivers (Rhone and Rhine) from sediment cores analyses.

Authors :
Vidal A
Papillon L
Seignemartin G
Morereau A
Euzen C
Grenz C
Copard Y
Eyrolle F
Sempéré R
Source :
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) [Environ Pollut] 2024 May 01; Vol. 348, pp. 123655. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Mar 09.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Although global plastic distribution is at the heart of 21st century environmental concerns, little information is available concerning how organic plastic additives contaminate freshwater sediments, which are often subject to strong anthropogenic pressure. Here, sediment core samples were collected in the Rhone and the Rhine watersheds (France), dated using <superscript>137</superscript> Cs and <superscript>210</superscript> Pb <subscript>xs</subscript> methods and analysed for nine phthalates (PAEs) and seven organophosphate esters (OPEs). The distribution of these organic contaminants was used to establish a chronological archive of plastic additive pollution from 1860 (Rhine) and 1930 (Rhone) until today. Sediment grain size and parameters related to organic matter (OM) were also measured as potential factors that may affect the temporal distribution of OPEs and PAEs in sediments. Our results show that OPE and PAE levels increased continuously in Rhone and Rhine sediments since the first records. In both rivers, ∑PAEs levels (from 9.1 ± 1.7 to 487.3 ± 27.0 ng g <superscript>-1</superscript> dry weight (dw) ± standard deviation and from 4.6 ± 1.3 to 65.2 ± 11.2 ng g <superscript>-1</superscript> dw, for the Rhine and the Rhone rivers, respectively) were higher than ∑OPEs levels (from 0.1 ± 0.1 to 79.1 ± 13.7 ng g <superscript>-1</superscript> dw and from 0.6 ± 0.1 to 17.8 ± 2.3 ng g <superscript>-1</superscript> dw, for Rhine and Rhone rivers, respectively). In both rivers, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was the most abundant PAE, followed by diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP), while tris (2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP) was the most abundant OPE. No relationship was found between granulometry and additives concentrations, while organic matter helps explain the vertical distribution of PAEs and OPEs in the sediment cores. This study thus establishes a temporal trajectory of PAEs and OPEs contents over the last decades, leading to a better understanding of historical pollution in these two Western European rivers.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br /> (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1873-6424
Volume :
348
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38467366
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123655