Modelling concentrations of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane in two UK rivers using LF2000-WQX.
Current regulatory environmental exposure assessments for decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D(5)), used in a range of personal care products, are based on a number of erroneous assumptions. Using an estimated D(5) flux to waste water of 11.6 mg cap(-1) d(-1), a 95.2% removal rate in Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) and a dilution factor of 10 results in modelled surface water concentrations that are up to an order of magnitude higher than concentrations observed downstream of STPs in two UK rivers. A GIS-based water quality model (LF2000-WQX) was used to predict concentrations of D(5) in two UK rivers. Assuming the STP removal rate is reasonable, a waste water flux of 2.4 mg cap(-1) d(-1) is needed in order to obtain a reasonable match between predicted and observed in-river concentrations. This flux is consistent with measured effluent concentrations. The results highlight major uncertainties in estimating chemical emission rates for volatile chemicals used in personal care products and suggest that measured concentrations in waste water are needed to refine exposure assessments.
Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC), Unilever, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ, UK. oliver.price@unilever.com
Oliver R
OR
Price
Richard J
RJ
Williams
Zhong
Z
Zhang
Roger
R
van Egmond
D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012833:Siloxanes / Q000032:analysis*; D006113:United Kingdom; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
D012833:Siloxanes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C114768:decamethylcyclopentasiloxane