TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing the role of the “estuarine filter” for emerging contaminants
T2 - pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl compounds and plasticisers in sediment cores from two contrasting systems in the southern U.K.
AU - Celis Hernandez, Omar
AU - Cundy, Andy
AU - Croudace, I.W.
AU - Ward, Raymond
AU - Busquets, Rosa
AU - Wilkinson, John
PY - 2020/11/12
Y1 - 2020/11/12
N2 - The environmental occurrence, fate and ecotoxicity of emerging contaminants (ECs) has been the subject of increasing research, policy and public concern over the past two decades. While a wide range of publications have examined the environmental persistence and sediment/soil interactions of ECs following their discharge into aquatic environments, the extent to which ECs are sequestered in estuarine sediments, and the impact of this on their environmental persistence and supply to the ocean, in comparison remains unclear. This Article examines the environmental concentrations of seven, relatively water-soluble and environmentally mobile, ECs (including pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl compounds, and plasticisers) in dated intertidal saltmarsh cores from two contrasting estuarine sites in the southern U.K. (one heavily urbanised/industrial, the other non-urbanised). Mean sediment EC concentrations are similar in both estuarine systems (in the range 0.1 (acetaminophen) to 17 (4-hydroxyacetophenone) ng/g dry weight). Despite their variable reported Log K
ow values (from ca. 0.5 to > 7), the ECs are all apparently mobile in the marsh systems studied, and where subsurface concentration maxima are present these most likely relate to local flushing or diffusive processes and cannot be clearly linked to likely input trends or changes in sediment geochemistry (including sedimentary organic carbon content). The “estuarine filter” here, at least with respect to intertidal saltmarsh sediments, shows reduced potential to sequester the seven ECs examined and mediate their supply to coastal and shelf environments.
AB - The environmental occurrence, fate and ecotoxicity of emerging contaminants (ECs) has been the subject of increasing research, policy and public concern over the past two decades. While a wide range of publications have examined the environmental persistence and sediment/soil interactions of ECs following their discharge into aquatic environments, the extent to which ECs are sequestered in estuarine sediments, and the impact of this on their environmental persistence and supply to the ocean, in comparison remains unclear. This Article examines the environmental concentrations of seven, relatively water-soluble and environmentally mobile, ECs (including pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl compounds, and plasticisers) in dated intertidal saltmarsh cores from two contrasting estuarine sites in the southern U.K. (one heavily urbanised/industrial, the other non-urbanised). Mean sediment EC concentrations are similar in both estuarine systems (in the range 0.1 (acetaminophen) to 17 (4-hydroxyacetophenone) ng/g dry weight). Despite their variable reported Log K
ow values (from ca. 0.5 to > 7), the ECs are all apparently mobile in the marsh systems studied, and where subsurface concentration maxima are present these most likely relate to local flushing or diffusive processes and cannot be clearly linked to likely input trends or changes in sediment geochemistry (including sedimentary organic carbon content). The “estuarine filter” here, at least with respect to intertidal saltmarsh sediments, shows reduced potential to sequester the seven ECs examined and mediate their supply to coastal and shelf environments.
KW - salt marsh
KW - environmental pollution
KW - coasts
KW - emerging contaminants
KW - Plasticisers
KW - Perfluorinated compounds
KW - Estuary
KW - Emerging contaminants
KW - Pharmaceuticals
KW - Saltmarsh
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097164799&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116610
DO - 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116610
M3 - Article
SN - 0043-1354
VL - 189
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Water Research
JF - Water Research
M1 - 116610
ER -