Levels and spatial distribution of chlorophenols – 2,4-Dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol in surface water of China

Abstract

The chlorophenol pollutants (CPs) have been reported to occur at relatively high concentrations in some Chinese waters. To map the distribution of CPs in the surface water throughout China, samples were collected from over 600 sites in the seven major watersheds and three drainage areas. The samples were analyzed for the representative CPs including 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol. In general, it was observed that 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol were more frequently detected at higher concentrations in the rivers of North China compared with those of South China. High concentration sites of 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol mainly occurred in the Yellow River, Huaihe River, and Haihe River watersheds, while pentachlorophenol contamination mainly occurred in the Yangtze River watershed. The pentachlorophenol was the most ubiquitous CPs being detected in 85.4% of samples (median = 50.0 ng l ). The results of this investigation indicated that 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol contaminations of Yellow River, Huaihe River, and Haihe River watersheds were of particular concern, while the pentachlorophenol contamination mainly occurred in the Yangtze River watershed. These results showed that CPs contamination in the surface water of China was similar to other places of the world.

A tiered ecological risk assessment of three chlorophenols in Chinese surface waters

“…Chlorophenols were extracted by solid phase extraction following published procedures (Zhou et al 2000;Zhang et al 2002). An Agilent 6890 GC coupled to a 5973N MS detector in selected ion mode was used for 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol analysis (Gao et al 2008). The method detection limits (MDLs) ranged from 1.1 ng L −1 for 2,4-DCP and PCP to 1.4 ng L −1 for 2,4,6-TCP.…”

“…Pentachlorophenol was used in China for years as a molluscacide to kill oncomelania, especially in the Yangtze River watershed, which might be the reason for the great concentrations of pentachlorophenol in the Yangtze River (Gao et al 2008). Concentrations of all three chlorophenols were less than the MDL in water from all five locations on the Southwest River, and were greater than the MDL in water from all 39 locations on the Haihe River.…”

“…Use of PCP as a pesticide in China was banned 1997 but it is still utilized as a wood preservative (Zheng et al 2000). These uses of PCP could explain its prevalence in the surface waters of China (Gao et al 2008). The magnitude of 2,4-DCP and 2,4,6-TCP pollution in Northern China were more serious than that in Southern China, possibly because phenoxyacid herbicides, which can (Gao et al 2008).…”

“…As industrial waste, they are direct pollutants in the environment, and due to their relative solubility and persistence, are detectable in rivers, ponds, and soil (Czaplicka 2004;Gao et al 2008). Furthermore, chlorophenols can be produced as transformation products of more complex molecules such as phenoxyacetic acids and chlorobenzenes.…”

“…Chlorophenols occur extensively in surface waters (Asplund and Grimvall 1991;Grimvall 1995). Some chlorophenols, such as 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), and pentachlorophenol (PCP), have been detected in watersheds and drainage areas of China at relatively great concentrations (Gao et al 2008;Zhong et al 2010). PCP and 2,4-DCP are endocrine disruptors (Zhang et al 2004;Zha et al 2006), while PCP and its sodium salt are recognized as a class 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (Ge et al 2007).…”