title: Distribution of 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in the Jukskei and Klip/Vaal catchment areas in South Africa.
abstract: Comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC)-μECD analysis was used to determine 2,3,7,8-substituted dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) distribution in the Jukskei and Klip/Vaal catchment areas from ten sites previously identified as persistent organic pollutant hotspots in major rivers in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Five sediment samples from the Jukskei River catchment area and five sediment samples from the Kilp/Vaal River catchment area were collected for analysis. The extracts were screened for dioxin-like activity using the DR-Luc bioassay prior to GCxGC-μECD analysis. All sediment samples tested positive for dioxin-like activity with total activity ranging from 16 to 37 pg toxic equivalents (TEQ) g(-1) dry weight (dw) for the Jukskei River catchment and 1.5-22 pg TEQ g(-1) dw for the Klip/Vaal River catchment, indicating that the Jukskei River catchment area had higher concentrations of total dioxin-like compounds. Confirmatory tests for the presence of the most potent seven PCDDs and ten PCDFs conducted using GCxGC-μECD revealed presence of 11 PCDD/Fs and 6 PCDD/Fs in the Jukskei and Klip/Vaal River catchments respectively. Total organic carbon (TOC) and particle size distribution analysis were conducted to understand the distribution of PCDD/Fs within the Jukskei and Klip/Vaal catchments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Water and Sanitation, Resource Quality Information Services (RQIS), Roodeplaat, P. Bag X313, 0001, Pretoria, South Africa; University of the Witwatersrand, School of Chemistry, P. Bag 3, Wits, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa; Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, 1085, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: rimayic@dws.gov.za.
authors.forename: Cornelius
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rimayi
authors.affiliation: University of the Witwatersrand, School of Chemistry, P. Bag 3, Wits, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chimuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Water and Sanitation, Resource Quality Information Services (RQIS), Roodeplaat, P. Bag X313, 0001, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Odusanya
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, 1085, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, 1085, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013019:South Africa; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC); DR-Luc bioassay; Dioxin-like (dl) compounds; PCDD/F; TEF; TEQ