title: Ecological risk assessment of bisphenol A in surface waters of China based on both traditional and reproductive endpoints.
abstract: Bisphenol A (BPA) occurs widely in natural waters with both traditional and reproductive toxicity to various aquatic species. The water quality criteria (WQC), however, have not been established in China, which hinders the ecological risk assessment for the pollutant. This study therefore aims to derive the water quality criteria for BPA based on both acute and chronic toxicity endpoints and to assess the ecological risk in surface waters of China. A total of 15 acute toxicity values tested with aquatic species resident in China were found in published literature, which were simulated with the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) model for the derivation of criterion maximum concentration (CMC). 18 chronic toxicity values with traditional endpoints were simulated for the derivation of traditional criterion continuous concentration (CCC) and 12 chronic toxicity values with reproductive endpoints were for reproductive CCC. Based on the derived WQC, the ecological risk of BPA in surface waters of China was assessed with risk quotient (RQ) method. The results showed that the CMC, traditional CCC and reproductive CCC were 1518μgL(-1), 2.19μgL(-1) and 0.86μgL(-1), respectively. The acute risk of BPA was negligible with RQ values much lower than 0.1. The chronic risk was however much higher with RQ values of between 0.01-3.76 and 0.03-9.57 based on traditional and reproductive CCC, respectively. The chronic RQ values on reproductive endpoints were about threefold as high as those on traditional endpoints, indicating that ecological risk assessment based on traditional effects may not guarantee the safety of aquatic biota.
authors.affiliation: College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, PR China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266100, PR China. Electronic address: zhengyan@ouc.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhengyan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Shandong Academy of Environmental Science, Jinan 250013, PR China.
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Qingdao 266100, PR China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Process Engineering and Applied Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X4, Canada.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000187:drug effects*; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005399:Fishes / Q000254:growth & development; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D011896:Rana temporaria / Q000254:growth & development; D012098:Reproduction; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D060753:Water Quality; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D010636:Phenols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Bisphenol A; Ecological risk assessment; Endocrine disruptor; Species sensitivity distribution; Water quality criteria