title: National inventory of alkylphenol ethoxylate compounds in U.S. sewage sludges and chemical fate in outdoor soil mesocosms.
abstract: We determined the first nationwide inventories of alkylphenol surfactants in U.S. sewage sludges (SS) using samples from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2001 national SS survey. Additionally, analysis of archived 3-year outdoor mesocosm samples served to determine chemical fates in SS-amended soil. Nonylphenol (NP) was the most abundant analyte (534 ± 192 mg/kg) in SS composites, followed by its mono- and di-ethoxylates (62.1 ± 28 and 59.5 ± 52 mg/kg, respectively). The mean annual load of NP and its ethoxylates in SS was estimated at 2408-7149 metric tonnes, of which 1204-4289 is applied on U.S. land. NP compounds showed observable loss from SS/soil mixtures (1:2), with mean half-lives ranging from 301 to 495 days. Surfactant levels in U.S. SS ten-times in excess of European regulations, substantial releases to U.S. soils, and prolonged half-lives found under field conditions, all argue for the U.S. to follow Europe's move from 20 years ago to regulate these chemicals.
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Security, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 781 E. Terrace Road, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
authors.forename: Arjun K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
authors.forename: Rolf U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Halden
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis*; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D012722:Sewage; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D013501:Surface-Active Agents