title: Determination and assessment of phthalate esters content in sediments from Kaohsiung Harbor, Taiwan.
abstract: Phthalate esters (PAEs) are known organic endocrine disruptors. The distribution of 10 PAEs in sediments of Kaohsiung Harbor of Taiwan was studied using organic solvents extraction and quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The average concentration of total PAEs (ΣPAEs) in the sediment was 8713±11,454ng/g dw with di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (3630ng/g-dw) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) (3497ng/g dw) being the major species, which constitutes of 41.7% and 40.1% of ΣPAEs. PAEs concentration was relatively high near the river mouths, especially in Love River mouth, and diminished toward the harbor. Based on the sediment quality guidelines developed from previous studies, several of the observed PAE levels exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level, especially for DEHP and thus may cause adverse effect in aquatic organisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chiu-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yun-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung Marine University, Kaohsiung 81157, Taiwan; Department of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan. Electronic address: cddong@mail.nkmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Cheng-Di
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate / Q000032:analysis; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate / Q000032:analysis; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004952:Esters / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D004952:Esters; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D003993:Dibutyl Phthalate; C012125:diisononyl phthalate; C032279:phthalic acid; D004051:Diethylhexyl Phthalate; C042080:diisodecyl phthalate
keywords: Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); Diisononyl phthalate (DiNP); Phthalate esters (PAEs); Sediment