title: Phthalate occurrence in rivers and tap water from central Spain.
abstract: The aim of this study is to evaluate the presence and concentrations of the main phthalates in water from the Jarama and Manzanares rivers in the region of Madrid (RM, Central Spain), the most densely populated region of Spain, and to determine the possible oestrogenic activity based on found phthalate concentration. The presence of phthalates in major supply drinking water areas of the RM was also analysed, thus allowing a preliminary assessment of the health risks resulting from the concentrations obtained. The results of this study show the presence of the three (dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP) di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP)) of five phthalates studied (dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), benzyl-butyl phthalate (BBP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP)). The DBP was found in both river and tap water samplers, whereas DMP and DEP were found in only drinking water samples. The DBP was found to make the highest average contribution to pollution in both river and tap water. The DEHP was not found in both the river and tap water because it is one of the most regulated phthalates. The highest phthalate contamination was found in the Manzanares river and in those areas that receive treated water from the Tagus river. The phthalates found in river and tap water in the RM do not represent a potential oestrogenic risk for the aquatic environment or humans. A preliminary risk assessment suggested that the risk of exposure to phthalates from tap water in this study is acceptable, although continuous monitoring of the presence of these substances in both drinking and river water should be undertaken to detect possible increases in their concentrations. This is the first study to analyse the presence of phthalates in both rivers and drinking water of the centre of Spain.
authors.affiliation: Research Group in Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology (ToxAmb), Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain. Electronic address: dm.noelia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Domínguez-Morueco
authors.affiliation: Research Group in Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology (ToxAmb), Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: González-Alonso
authors.affiliation: Research Group in Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology (ToxAmb), Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain; Departments of Medicine and Cirugy, Psychology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Immunology Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain. Electronic address: yolanda.valcarcel@urjc.es.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Valcárcel
mesh_terms: D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013030:Spain; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C032279:phthalic acid
keywords: Endocrine-disrupting compounds; Oestrogenic activity; Phthalates; Risk assessment; Surface water; Tap water