title: Sources, fluxes and risk of organic micropollutants to the Cantabrian Sea (Spain).
abstract: The sources, distribution and risk of 51 organic micropollutants (OMPs) in the Cantabrian coastal environment (NW Spain) were evaluated. Gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, phthalates esters, bisphenol A and alkylphenols. 45 OMPs were detected in coastal/estuarine waters. Wastewater treatment plant effluents and emissary discharges were identified as the main sources of contamination. The accumulation of OMPs in sediments and the bioaccumulation in 21 days caged mussels were also assessed. Chemical results were combined with the "Combined Monitoring-based and Modeling-based Priority Setting Scheme" COMMPS procedure for risk assessment analysis. Finally, the chemical status of the different sampling locations was estimated using site risk indexes. Those indexes can be conveniently displayed in quality geographical maps and are considered a valuable tool for the environmental management and risk assessment of the region under study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Avila
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vicente
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Echavarri-Erasun
authors.forename: Cinta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porte
authors.forename: Romà
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tauler
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lacorte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D013030:Spain; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D010575:Pesticides; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls