Seasonal source influence on river mass flows of benzotriazoles

Abstract

The anticorrosive agents 1H-benzotriazole (1H-BT), 4-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (4 Me-BT) and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole (5 Me-BT), which are usually added to dishwasher detergents, automotive antifreeze formulations and aircraft de-icing/anti-icing fluids (ADAFs), were measured in river water. Samples were collected from 15 sampling sites in the mainstream and selected tributaries of a medium-sized catchment area during summer and winter periods. The aim of this study was to assess a seasonal source influence on mass flows of benzotriazoles (BTs). The study area was representatively selected for an area with a possible influence of airport surface runoff. River discharge measurements were also performed. Moreover, BT concentrations were measured in an anti-icing and a de-icing fluid used at German airports as well as in several dishwasher detergents. The highest concentrations of all three compounds in river water were measured during the winter seasons. The maximum BT mass flows were calculated for all three substances in January when the mean monthly air temperature was the lowest; mass flows were the lowest in July when the mean monthly air temperature was the highest. A significant seasonal influence on BT mass flows in river water was observed for monitoring stations with a possible influence of airport surface runoff and for sampling locations where such an influence could be excluded. This indicates an input of BTs from other temperature-dependent applications, e.g. the use of antifreeze formulations in automotive windscreen wiper or cooling systems. 1H-BT was detected in two dishwasher tablets; 4 Me-BT and 5 Me-BT were not detected. BTs were measured in the anti-icing fluid with concentrations of 715 ng g(-1) (1H-BT), 1425 ng g(-1) (4 Me-BT) and 536 ng g(-1) (5 Me-BT); none of the BTs were detected in the de-icing fluid. Distribution patterns of BTs in ADAF and dishwasher detergents differed from those in river water.

Resilience to multiple stressors in an aquatic plant and its microbiome

“…BZT inputs to watersheds in the Greater Toronto Area track salt inputs nearly perfectly, and both can peak in spring and fall thaws (Parajulee et al., ). Sites with high input and little flow‐through may be most likely to reach stressfully high concentrations, such as ponds near snow storage sites (Alvey et al., ), airfields (Breedveld et al., ), or dense road areas (Kiss and Fries, ; Parajulee et al., ).…”

Sorption and biodegradation of selected benzotriazoles and hydroxybenzothiazole in activated sludge and estimation of their fate during wastewater treatment

“…BTRs consist of a benzene ring fused with a triazole ring, they are soluble in water, slightly basic (pK a 8.2-8.8) and have a weak tendency to sorb onto organic matter (Weiss et al, 2006). They are widely used in several industrial applications for protection of metal mechanical parts, as well as in everyday products and dishwashing detergents (Janna et al, 2011;Kiss and Fries, 2012). In the case of BTHs, a benzene ring is fused with a thiazole ring.…”

New developments in the trace analysis of organic water pollutants

“…According to their relatively low degradability (Pitter and Chudoba 1990), BT is commonly emitted into rivers by waste water effluents . On account of their low sorption capacity (Hart et al 2004), BTs occur mostly in the aquatic environment Kiss and Fries 2009;Reemtsma et al 2010;Janna et al 2011;Kiss and Fries 2012). However, the mobility of these polar compounds in the environment is still not well characterized, although their presence in ground water (Cancilla et al 1998;Hollender 2007), bank filtrate (Reemtsma et al 2010), and drinking water have already been reported (van Leerdam et al 2009).…”