title: Screening and analysis of 940 organic micro-pollutants in river sediments in Vietnam using an automated identification and quantification database system for GC-MS.
abstract: In order to obtain a detailed picture of pollution by organic micro-pollutants in Vietnamese rivers, 940 semi-volatile organic compounds in river sediments collected from four major cities were examined by a comprehensive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-database. The number of detected chemicals at each site ranged from 49 to 158 (median 96 out of 940) with 185 analytes detected at least once in the survey. The substances detected with high frequency (over 80%) and high concentrations were n-alkanes, phthalates, sterols and PAHs. For most substances, sediments from metropolitan areas (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) were more heavily contaminated than those in rural and suburban areas. Sterols were observed in nearly 100% of sediments at extremely high concentrations, suggesting that the studied rivers were contaminated by sewage. Pyrethroids (permethrin-1 and -2) were the most dominant insecticides found in inner canals of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Deltamethrin was only detected at a site in Hanoi at an elevated concentration. This reflects that pyrethroids are used for the protection of private and public health rather than for agriculture. p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDD were the dominant members of the DDT family of chemicals detected, indicating no recent inputs of DDTs in the study areas. PCBs residues were lower than those in other Asian countries, which suggest historically much lower use of PCBs in Vietnam. PAHs pollution in urban areas is caused by the runoff of petroleum products and vehicle exhaust gases, whereas in rural and suburban areas, the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass is major sources of PAHs. Overall, the study confirmed that rivers in Vietnam were heavily polluted mainly by domestic wastewater.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 808-0135, Japan.
authors.forename: Hanh Thi
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 808-0135, Japan. Electronic address: kadokami@kitakyu-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kiwao
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kadokami
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 808-0135, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuangye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, 1-1 Hibikino, Wakamatsu, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 808-0135, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
authors.forename: Trung Quang
authors.initials: TQ
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects; D001331:Automation; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014744:Vietnam; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: AIQS-DB; Comprehensive analysis; GC–MS; River sediment; SVOCs