Characterization, source identification and risk associated with polyaromatic and chlorinated organic contaminants (PAHs, PCBs, PCBzs and OCPs) in the surface sediments of Hooghly estuary, India

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Authors	MITRA Soumita CORSOLINI Simonetta POZO Karla Andrea AUDY Ondřej SARKAR Santosh Kumar BISWAS Jayanta Kumar
Year of publication	2019
Type	Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source	Chemosphere
MU Faculty or unit	Faculty of Science
Citation
Web	Full Text
Doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.173
Keywords	Risk assessment; Sediment quality analyses; Cancer risk; Persistent organic pollutants (POPs); Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Description	The spatial distribution, source identification and ecotoxicological impact of a group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs: dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH5), poly-chlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorobenzenes (PCBzs)), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in surface sediment samples (0-5 cm, <63 mu m grain size) along the ecologically stressed Hooghly River estuary, East India. The results demonstrated a wide range of concentrations (ng/g dry weight) with the following decreasing order: Sigma(16)PAHs (3.3-630) > Sigma 6DDTs (0.14-18.6) > Sigma(7)PCBs (0.28 - 7.7) > Sigma(2)PCBzs (0.01-1.3) > Sigma 5HCH (0.10-0.6), with a dominance of p,p'-DDT and higher molecular weight PAHs. Selected diagnostic ratios indicated a mixture of both pyrolytic and petrogenic sources of PAHs, inputs of weathered DDT and their degradation in oxidizing environment, and a predominance of industrial input over the agricultural wastes. The cumulative impact of the pollutants (effective range medium quotient (ERMq): 0.01-0.16) reflected minimal to low ecotoxicological risk, with highest probability of toxic effects towards surrounding biota at Barrackpore (21%). Sigma 6DDTs exceeded the effect range low value resulting occasional adverse impact to the sediment dwelling organisms. Among the PAHs, the 4-ringed compounds accounted for 68% of the PAHs. Further, carcinogenic PAHs (BaA, Chry, BbF, BkF, BaP, DahP, Inp) possessed highest cancer risk (CR = 2.09 x 10(-3)) to the local population when exposed to the sediments from the studied area and ingestion was found to be the primary process of contamination. The study strongly recommends a systematic monitoring of POPs and PAHs, being the Hooghly River water used by local people for their livelihood.
Related projects:	Výzkumná infrastruktura RECETOX RECETOX RI - OP VVV