Factors influencing the occurrence and distribution of organophosphate esters in sediments by cascade reservoirs of the Wujiang River in Southwest China
摘要
An artificial reservoir, as a temporary host for various materials in a basin, faces the potential risk of organophosphate ester (OPE) enrichment in the sediment. In this study, in order to investigate the impacts of dam-related water impoundment on OPEs, seven reservoirs in the Wujiang River (WJR) were investigated in January, April, July, and October 2017, and the occurrence and distribution of eight OPEs were evaluated. The results showed that the content of the eight OPEs ranged from 0.83 to 2745 ng/g dw. The main component was tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP). Spatially, the OPEs decreased from upstream to downstream. Temporally, the OPE content showed a trend of July > October ≥ January > April. Socioeconomic and hydrological factors had significant effects on the distribution of OPEs, and the empirical model of OPEs with gross domestic product (GDP) and reservoir age (RA) as parameters was established. This provided a basis for OPE estimation and treatment direction for the reservoir. In addition, the relevant data regarding OPEs and total organic carbon (TOC) in terrigenous sediments from previous studies showed a significant correlation (r = 0.63, P < 0.01). The significantly high risk quotient (RQ) estimated for OPEs, especially tris(methylphenyl) phosphate (TMPP) and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), suggest potential adverse risk.