Assessment of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Sediments from the Spanish Northern Atlantic Coast

Abstract

Surface coastal sediments (0-10 cm) collected from three natural environments on the Spanish Northern Atlantic Coast were analyzed so as to determine concentrations of 6 marker polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 12 dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) and 17 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). An analytical procedure based on Soxhlet extraction followed by an automated cleanup and final high-resolution gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry was applied for the determination of the persistent organic pollutants. Marker PCB levels ranged from 385.5 to 4,060.9 pg/g dry weight (d.w.) showing a similar congener pattern in all sediments dominated by the less volatile congeners PCB 153 and PCB 138. Linear correlations were found between marker and dl-PCBs. Toxicity equivalent values were calculated for PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs reaching its maximum at 0.52 pg WHO 1998 -TEQ/g d.w., with an average dl-PCBs contribution on the toxicity of the samples of 75%, and showing to be in good agreement with background levels in the North-East Atlantic Ocean Coasts of nearly 1 pg/g WHO 1998 -TEQ d.w. Dimensionless environmental quality criteria were much lower than 1 indicating the low probability to induce ecotoxicological impacts.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in recreational marina sediments of San Diego Bay, southern California

“…They have been reported to be common compounds in sediments, soils and biological samples for their high degree of chlorination (ATSDR, 2000). The pattern of dominance of these congeners in sediment is in agreement with previous reports for San Francisco Bay (Davis, 2004), Istanbul Strait (Okay et al, 2009), Venice Lagoon (Secco et al, 2005), and the Spanish northern Atlantic coast (Gómez-Lavín et al, 2011).…”

“…Even so, they provide valuable information on which marina is more impacted and allow comparisons with other world regions. TEQ values for SIYB and HW were similar (for HE higher) to those reported for the Cantabria coastal region (0.08-0.52 pg g -1 ), North Sea (0.6-2.8 pg g -1 ), and Belgian coast (0.06-0.95 pg g -1 ) (Danis et al, 2006;Gómez-Lavín et al, 2011) and much lower than TEQ reported for a Turkey shipyard (25 pg g -1 ), the Gulf of Finland (14.2-25 pg g -1 ) or the proper Baltic Sea (5.56-50 pg g -1 ) (Vartiainen et al, 1997;Isosaari et al, 2002;Verta et al, 2007;Okay et al, 2014). In general, there are scarce guidelines with respect to specific levels of DL-compounds in sediment to be considered safe or risky to aquatic biota; those originating from different environmental entities may involve a wide threshold range (0.85-20 pg TEQ g -1 (CCME, 2002;Evers et al, 1996).…”

Multiannual Trend of Micro-Pollutants in Sediments and Benthic Community Response in a Mediterranean Lagoon (Sacca di Goro, Italy)

“…Concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs in Sacca di Goro were comparable with those recorded for other Adriatic lagoons, such as Pialassa Baiona (PCDDs: 96-19,641 ng/kg and PCDFs: 16-1313 ng/kg) [18], Venice lagoon (PCDDs: 16-13,642 ng/kg and PCDFs: 49-126,561 ng/kg) [36], Comacchio lagoon (PCDD/Fs: 15.31 ng/kg-52.76 ng/kg) [30], and other locations, such as the Spanish northern Atlantic coast (PCDD/Fs: 0.15-3.99 ng/kg) [37], and the intertidal zone of the North Sea (PCDD/Fs: 0.124-3.156 ng/kg) [38]. Differences in concentration could be explained with the different distances from industrial and/or thermal power plants.…”