title: Hexachlorocyclohexane derivatives in industrial waste and samples from a contaminated riverine system.
abstract: Side and initial degradation products of the persistent organic pollutant hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) were largely neglected in environmental analysis so far. However, these compounds can be indicative for biodegradation or emission sources. Thus, several samples from a contaminated riverine system in vicinity to a former HCH production site in Central Germany were analyzed. This area adjacent to the industrial megasite Bitterfeld-Wolfen is known for elevated concentrations of various organic industrial pollutants as legacy of decades of industrial activity and subsequent deposition of chemical waste and emission of waste effluents. In environmental compartments of this riverine system, several isomers of HCH related compounds were detected comprising the two lower chlorinated species tetrachlorocyclohexene (TeCCH) and pentachlorocyclohexene (PeCCH) and the higher chlorinated species heptachlorocyclohexane (HpCCH). Except for the uppermost soil of an analyzed riparian wetland, concentrations of these compounds were low. Detected isomers in sediment, water, and soil samples correlated and dominant isomers of PeCCH and HpCCH were observed in the alluvial deposits. Comparisons with industrial HCH waste revealed isomeric patterns similar to patterns found in soil samples. Therefore, the application of HpCCH as an indicator of industrial HCH pollution is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal, RWTH Aachen University, Lochnerstr. 4-20, D-52056, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), D-56068, Koblenz, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), D-56068, Koblenz, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ternes
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), D-56068, Koblenz, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heininger
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, Free University of Berlin, D-12249, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricking
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal, RWTH Aachen University, Lochnerstr. 4-20, D-52056, Aachen, Germany. Electronic address: jan.schwarzbauer@emr.rwth-aachen.de.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwarzbauer
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005858:Germany; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D007536:Isomerism; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C010275:pentachlorocyclohexene; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane
keywords: Hexachlorocyclohexane; Hexachlorocyclohexane derivatives; Persistent organic pollutants