Authors: T B Chokwe J O Okonkwo L L Sibali E J Ncube
Publish Date: 2015/04/14
Volume: 22, Issue: 15, Pages: 11922-11929
Abstract
Alkylphenol ethoxylates APEs and brominated flame retardants BFRs are known to be bioaccumulative persistent and endocrine disruptors and can cause adverse health effects in animals and humans In this study environmental samples were collected from sites along the Vaal River South Africa in order to determine the concentrations of APEs and BFRs in water sediment and fish samples The highest concentrations of these pollutants were observed from discharge of the Rietspruit WWTW Measurable levels of both APEs and BFRs were observed with APEs exhibiting higher concentrations than BFRs in all the matrices The concentrations observed for APEs and BFRs were as follows 100–385 μg/L APEs 009–026 μg/L PBDEs ND 014 PBBs and 051–177 μg/L HBCD for water samples 47–63 ng/g lipid APEs 324–124 ng/g lipid PBB 463–33 ng/g lipid PBDEs and 10–13 ng/g lipid HBCD for fish and 40–184 ng/g wet weight ww APEs 293–59 ng/g ww PBB 10–24 ng/g ww PBDEs and 15–52 ng/g ww HBCD for sediment samples The concentrations of APEs and BFRs in water samples were found to be in the range with the results reported in the literature while the concentration in fish and sediment were lower than the concentrations reported in other studiesThe authors are indebted to Rand Water Analytical Services for funding and providing the technical environment for this project which is part of Mr Chokwe’s doctoral degree Mr R Hariram and SM Mporetji for water fish and sediment samples collections and Water Research Commission and Tshwane University of Technology for their supportThe selected fishes from Barrage Kliprivier and Rietspruit were caught using fishing rod Fish selected for analysis were killed by a blow to the head The fish were individually wrapped in aluminum foil placed in plastic bags packed with ice for transport to the laboratory where the samples were frozen pending preparation of the tissue samples This procedure does not have a negative environmental impact and was approved by the Tshwane University of Technology ethics committee There is no potential conflict of interest in this study
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