Time-integrated monitoring of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in urban and industrial wastewaters using a ceramic toximeter and the CALUX bioassay.
The ceramic toximeter as a passive sampler in combination with the CALUX bioassay was utilized as a time-integrated pollution-assessment technique for dioxin-like PCDD/Fs in wastewaters. Toximeters filled with XCARB and enclosed in stainless steel cages were submerged in wastewater of Belbeis drainage-canal and EMAK paper-mill, located in Egypt, for 28 days. Two samplers were removed every week from each site. Extracts from toximeters, from bottom-sediments, and from paper-mill sludge were analyzed by the CALUX. Results showed a regular increase in the amounts of PCDD/Fs trapped by the toximeters as sampling time increased. Time-weighted average concentrations (TWA) of PCDD/Fs in the wastewaters of the drainage-canal and paper-mill were 231 (214-281) and 26 (24.1-32.6) pg-BEQL(-1), respectively. Compared to literature data, this means a high pollution level for the drainage-canal water, while the pollution level in the paper-mill wastewater is similar to that reported for other paper mills. The PCDD/Fs levels in the drainage-canal bottom-sediments and in the paper-mill sludge were 8.3 and 14.6 pg-BEQg(-1) dry-weight, at the lower end of internationally reported values in similar compartments. The sampling rate of the tested toximeters for dissolved PCDD/Fs was about 3.6 mL d(-1). Sediment/water partitioning coefficient logKd of PCDD/Fs in the drainage-canal and the paper-mill was 1.42 and 2.70 respectively. The organic-carbon normalized partition coefficient logKoc was 4.17 and 3.19 respectively, and is lower than the reported values for other sites.
Department of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: aaddeck@vub.ac.be.
Amr
A
Addeck
Kim
K
Croes
Kersten
K
Van Langenhove
Michael S
MS
Denison
Ahmed
A
Elhamalawy
Marc
M
Elskens
Willy
W
Baeyens
D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D001681:Biological Assay; D002516:Ceramics; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004534:Egypt; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007221:Industry; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D007220:Industrial Waste; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
CALUX; Ceramic toximeter; PCDD/Fs; Partitioning coefficient; Passive sampling; Wastewater monitoring