Behavior of organophosphates and hydrophilic ethers during bank filtration and their potential application as organic tracers. A field study from the Oderbruch, Germany

Abstract

The behavior of organophosphates and ethers during riverbank filtration and groundwater flow was assessed to determine their suitability as organic tracers. Four sampling campaigns were conducted at the Oderbruch polder, Germany to establish the presence of chlorinated flame retardants (TCEP, TCPP, TDCP), non-chlorinated plasticizers (TBEP, TiBP, TnBP), and hydrophilic ethers (1,4-dioxane, monoglyme, diglyme, triglyme, tetraglyme) in the Oder River, main drainage ditch, and anoxic aquifer. Selected parameters were measured in order to determine the hydro-chemical composition of both, river water and groundwater. The results of the study confirm that organophosphates (OPs) are more readily attenuated during bank filtration compared to ethers. Both in the river and the groundwater, TCPP was the most abundant OP with concentrations in the main drainage ditch ranging between 105 and 958 ng L(-1). 1,4-dioxane, triglyme, and tetraglyme demonstrated persistent behavior during bank filtration and in the anoxic groundwater. In the drainage ditch concentrations of 1,4-dioxane, triglyme, and tetraglyme ranged between 1090 and 1467 ng L(-1), 37 and 149 ng L(-1), and 496 and 1403 ng L(-1), respectively. A positive correlation was found for the inorganic tracer chloride with 1,4-dioxane and tetraglyme. These results confirm the possible application of these ethers as environmental organic tracers. Both inorganic and organic compounds showed temporal variability in the surface- and groundwater. Discharge of the river water, concentrations of analytes at the time of infiltration and attenuation were identified as factors influencing the variable amounts of the analytes in the surface and groundwater. These findings are also of great importance for the production of drinking water via bank filtration and natural and artificial groundwater recharge as the physicochemical properties of ethers create challenges in their removal.

The cytotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants on HepG2, A549 and Caco-2 cells

“…Alteration in thyroid function and changes in relative liver weight were also reported in laboratory animals. [29] OPFRs could also be accumulated in human adipose tissue and seminal fluid. [30] Recently, elevated levels of OPFRs (including TDCPP) in house dust have been reported to be associated with altered hormone levels and decreased sperm quality.…”

Occurrence and risk assessment of organophosphate esters in drinking water from Eastern China

“…This reduction in contamination probably resulted from natural purification during ground water recharge (Stepien et al, 2013). It was reported that effective elimination (ca.…”

Mass defect filtering for suspect screening of halogenated environmental chemicals: A case study of chlorinated organophosphate flame retardants

“…Released PFRs enter and contaminate the surrounding environment and have been detected in indoor and outdoor environments and in environmental media such as air, water, soil and sediment . Numerous monitoring studies have reported OP triesters entering the water cycle and being detected in a suite of aqueous environments such as river and marine waters, surface and ground waters, drinking and tap waters, precipitation and rain waters, and influents and effluents of sewage treatment plants . Ester bonds in OPFRs are prone to abiotic hydrolysis that determines their stability and reactivity in aqueous media .…”

“…1,[12][13][14] Numerous monitoring studies have reported OP triesters entering the water cycle and being detected in a suite of aqueous environments such as river and marine waters, surface and ground waters, drinking and tap waters, precipitation and rain waters, and influents and effluents of sewage treatment plants. 1,9,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] Ester bonds in OPFRs are prone to abiotic hydrolysis that determines their stability and reactivity in aqueous media. 25,26 A pH-dependent hydrolysis of OP triesters was characterized by Su et al, 25 indicating their variable fate in environmental waters depending on the pH.…”