Dioxin levels in fertilizers from Belgium: Determination and evaluation of the potential impact on soil contamination

Elskens, Marc; Pussemier, Luc; Dumortier, Pierre; Langenhove, Kersten Van; Scholl, Georges; Goeyens, Léo; Focant, Jean‐François

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.02.094

Cited by 25 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Elskens et al [40] measured the dioxin contents in various fertilizer products in Belgium, and found that the median PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB concentrations for sewage sludge (16 samples) and compost (15 samples of either composted plant material or waste) spread on agricultural land in Belgium were 10.5 and 11.1 ng TEQ kg−1, respectively. These values were generally in a similar range to, albeit slight less than, the results for total PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs of 11.7−14.3 and 12.0−19.0 ng TEQ kg −1 , respectively, for biosolids and CLO found in this investigation.…”

Section: Dsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These values were generally in a similar range to, albeit slight less than, the results for total PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs of 11.7−14.3 and 12.0−19.0 ng TEQ kg −1 , respectively, for biosolids and CLO found in this investigation. Elskens et al [40] calculated that the annual input of dioxins due to fertilizer use at the country level was equivalent to 5.45 g TEQ year −1 from which 49% are supplied by manure, 12% by chemical fertilisers, 12% by sewage sludge, 4% by liming materials and 12% by compost. This compared to a total atmospheric deposition on agricultural soils equivalent to approximately 33.6 g TEQ year −1 , which was approximately 6 times greater than the total input from fertilizer materials.…”

Section: Dsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fertilization with compost containing PCDD/Fs at the maximum regulatory limit resulted in an input of 10.38 ng TEQ m , estimated in a study conducted by Dumortier et al [41], to prevent harmful dietary intakes of dioxins. Overall, therefore, the concentrations of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs present in waste materials spread to land may represent a smaller contamination risk compared to other sources, such as atmospheric deposition [40]. …”

Section: Dsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Organic Contaminant Content and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Waste Materials Recycled in Agriculture

et al. 2015

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A range of wastes representative of materials currently applied, or with future potential to be applied, to agricultural land in the UK as fertilisers and soil improvers or used as animal bedding in livestock production, were investigated. In addition to full physico-chemical characterization, the materials were analysed for a suite of priority organic contaminants. In general, contaminants were present at relatively low concentrations. For example, for biosolids and compost-like-output (CLO), concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were approximately 1−10 and 5-50 times lower, respectively, than various proposed or implemented European limit values for these contaminants in biosolids or composts applied to agricultural land. However, the technical basis for these limits may require re-evaluation in some cases. Polybrominated, and mixed halogenated, dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans OPEN ACCESSAgriculture 2015, 5 1290 are not currently considered in risk assessments of dioxins and dioxin-like chemicals, but were detected at relatively high concentrations compared with PCDD/Fs in the biosolids and CLOs and their potential contribution to the overall toxic equivalency is assessed. Other 'emerging' contaminants, such as organophosphate flame retardants, were detected in several of the waste materials, and their potential significance is discussed. The study is part of a wider research programme that will provide evidence that is expected to improve confidence in the use of waste-derived materials in agriculture and to establish guidelines to protect the food chain where necessary.

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Section: Dsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Dsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Organic Contaminant Content and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Waste Materials Recycled in Agriculture

et al. 2015

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“…Flooding Stable water flow Low water flow 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 addition, Dumortier et al (2012) and Elskens et al (2013) reported that commonly used fertilizers are contaminated with PCDDs and PCDFs. These observations, taken together with the growth of the Pilica River drainage area (Table 1), account for the higher total and TEQ concentrations found in the samples collected from Points 4 and 5 in the downstream section of the river: the drainage area at Point 5 (total drainage area of 9076.6 km 2 ) was almost twice that recorded for Point 3 (4991.5 km 2 ) ( Table 1).…”

Section: Chemicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Hydrology in the Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p -dioxin and Dibenzofuran Distributions in a Lowland River

et al. 2015

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Persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated dibenzo--dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are environmental contaminants that have widespread distribution and pose a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems. We conducted a study to quantify the distribution, patterns, and transport of PCDDs and PCDFs along the Pilica River in central Poland under different hydrological conditions to estimate the loads of these compounds and understand their fate in aquatic systems. Water samples were collected at five sampling points along the river that represent a range of hydrological conditions including flooding and stable and low water flows. Reduced river water flow was associated with lower average total and toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations of PCDDs plus PCDFs: 33.6 pg L and 4.21 pg TEQ L for flooding; 28.3 pg L and 3.6 pg TEQ L for stable flow; 18.4 pg L and 1.0 pg TEQ L for low-water flow. Similar results were observed for daily loadings of total and TEQ concentrations: the highest values were observed during flooding (331.1-839.4 mg d and 27.8-110.7 mg TEQ d), medium under stable hydrological conditions (55.8-121.0 mg d and 7.7-15.3 mg TEQ d), and the lowest values during low water flow (30.9 and 40.3 mg d and 1.4-2.4 mg TEQ d). The results demonstrate that diffuse sources of pollution play a key role during periods of high water flow (i.e., flooding season), whereas point sources of pollution, including municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant discharges, mainly determine the PCDD and PCDF concentrations seen during low water periods.

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“…[1] Although PCDD/Fs are mainly considered as unwanted by-products of industrial processes, with incinerations being their largest source (municipal, hospital and hazardous waste; sewage sludge), [2,3] they can also be produced by natural processes (volcanic activity, forest fires and other natural combustion processes) [4,5] or be introduced into the environment through crop fertilization. [6] Regardless of their source, these compounds are considered toxic mainly due to their high affinity for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which is associated with expression of numerous genes. [3] The structure of PCDD/Fs consists of two benzene rings joined by either one (PCDFs) or two (PCDDs) oxygen bridges, and varying number of chlorine atom substituents on the remaining carbon atoms in the aromatic rings ( Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unsanitary Landfill Fires as a Source of a PCDD/Fs Contamination

Fajković¹,

Ivanić²,

Pitarević³

et al. 2018

Croat. Chem. Acta

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The aim of this study was to determine whether a combustion process (open burning) on an unsanitary landfill produces polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), for which several media were analysed (smoked air, landfill soil, and lake sediment). The concentration of PCDD/Fs detected in the air increased over 4000 times during the landfill fire, from 0.480 fg m -3 to 1940.4 fg m -3 or expressed as Toxic Equivalency (TEQ) from 0.004 fg TEQ m -3 to 25.72 fg TEQ m -3 . Increased values of PCDD/Fs were also determined in the soil from the landfill site (2597.6 ng kg -1 , 48.11 ng TEQ kg -1 ), and the influence of combustion process occurring on the landfill was also registered in the nearby lake sediment (23.17 ng kg -1 , 0.03 ng TEQ kg -1 ). Due to the high sedimentation rate (6.4 mm y -1 ), a significant contaminant dilution in the lake sediment can be expected. The results of this preliminary study point to the need of implementing a continuous long-term monitoring of PCDD/PCDFs in the landfill surrounding environment.

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Dioxin levels in fertilizers from Belgium: Determination and evaluation of the potential impact on soil contamination

Cited by 25 publications

References 22 publications

Organic Contaminant Content and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Waste Materials Recycled in Agriculture

Organic Contaminant Content and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Waste Materials Recycled in Agriculture

The Role of Hydrology in the Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p -dioxin and Dibenzofuran Distributions in a Lowland River

Unsanitary Landfill Fires as a Source of a PCDD/Fs Contamination

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