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Occurrence, Particle–Water Partitioning, and Ecological Risk of Traditional and Emerging Organophosphorus Esters and Organophosphine Oxides in Urban Waters of Shanghai, China
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Scientists testing Shanghai's urban rivers found widespread contamination from organophosphorus chemicals, used in flame retardants, plastics, and lubricants, including some newer, understudied compounds. While the water itself posed low risk, these chemicals were concerning when concentrated in suspended particles (tiny bits of sediment and debris floating in the water), which can be ingested by aquatic life and potentially move up the food chain. This matters because these chemicals are common in everyday products, and understanding how they build up in waterways helps scientists gauge risks to ecosystems and, ultimately, the people who depend on them.
Organophosphorus esters (OPEs) and organophosphine oxides (OPOs) are two major classes of organophosphorus compounds that have been commonly applied as plasticizers, flame retardants and lubricants, and are frequently detected in aquatic environments. In recent years, several emerging compounds from both classes have been identified. However, their occurrence, particle–water partitioning, and ecological risks in aquatic environments remain poorly understood. Because suspended particulate matter (SPM) plays a critical role in the transport, phase distribution, and ecological exposure of hydrophobic contaminants, surface water and SPM were simultaneously collected at 27 sites along the Huangpu River and its tributaries. Fourteen OPEs and three OPOs, including the emerging compounds bis(2-ethylhexyl) phenyl phosphate (BEHPP), tributylphosphine oxide (TBPO), and ethyldiphenylphosphine oxide (EDPPO), were analyzed using solid-phase extraction and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Results showed that tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP, 280.4 ± 126.5 ng/L), triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO, 209.4 ± 192.0 ng/L), and triethyl phosphate (TEP, 163.5 ± 63.8 ng/L) dominated in surface water, while tris-iso-butyl phosphate (TiBP, 203.7 ± 130.1 ng/g), TCIPP (174.3 ± 174.6 ng/g), tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP, 66.2 ± 66.2 ng/g) and 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDPP, 62.2 ± 44.7 ng/g) prevailed in SPM. Additionally, emerging substances such as BEHPP, TBPO and EDPPO were detected in all surface water samples at 0.9 ± 0.7, 39.5 ± 19.8, and 0.8 ± 0.3 ng/L, respectively. BEHPP and TBPO were also widely detected in SPM samples at 40.1 ± 22.1 and 16.1 ± 34.7 ng/g, respectively. Particle–water partitioning of OPEs and OPOs was influenced, at least partially, by their hydrophobicity. Risk assessment results indicated low ecological risks for OPEs and OPOs in surface water. In contrast, medium to high risks in SPM particularly from traditional compounds (TiBP, TBOEP, TCIPP and EHDPP) and emerging BEHPP warrant further attention.
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