Historical sedimentary and evolutionary characteristics of POPs and EDCs in typical regions of the three Gorges reservoir, China
Lei Dong,
Yueqi Cao,
Xiong Pan,
Li Lin,
Xiaohe Luo,
Nima Dunzhu,
Jiancheng Hu
Affiliations
Lei Dong
Basin Water Environmental Research Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Key Lab of Basin Water Resource and Eco-Environmental Science in Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Innovation Team for Basin Water Environmental Protection and Governance of Changjiang Water Resources Commission, Wuhan, 430010, PR China
Yueqi Cao
Basin Water Environmental Research Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Key Lab of Basin Water Resource and Eco-Environmental Science in Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430010, PR China
Xiong Pan
Basin Water Environmental Research Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Key Lab of Basin Water Resource and Eco-Environmental Science in Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Innovation Team for Basin Water Environmental Protection and Governance of Changjiang Water Resources Commission, Wuhan, 430010, PR China
Li Lin
Basin Water Environmental Research Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Key Lab of Basin Water Resource and Eco-Environmental Science in Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Innovation Team for Basin Water Environmental Protection and Governance of Changjiang Water Resources Commission, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Corresponding author. Basin Water Environmental Research Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, 430010, PR China.
Xiaohe Luo
The Resettlement Affairs Center for Large and Medium-Sized Water Conservancy and Hydropower Projects in Xizang Autonomous Region, Lhasa 850000, P.R. China
Nima Dunzhu
The Resettlement Affairs Center for Large and Medium-Sized Water Conservancy and Hydropower Projects in Xizang Autonomous Region, Lhasa 850000, P.R. China
Jiancheng Hu
Basin Water Environmental Research Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Key Lab of Basin Water Resource and Eco-Environmental Science in Hubei Province, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; Innovation Team for Basin Water Environmental Protection and Governance of Changjiang Water Resources Commission, Wuhan, 430010, PR China; The Resettlement Affairs Center for Large and Medium-Sized Water Conservancy and Hydropower Projects in Xizang Autonomous Region, Lhasa 850000, P.R. China; School of Environmental Studies, Hubei Polytechnic University, Huangshi 435003, P.R. China
The historical sedimentary and evolutionary characteristics of persistent organic pollutants and endocrine disruptors in typical regions of the Three Gorges Reservoir are scarcely studied. Herein, the 96-year data on contaminated sediment history were reconstructed using Caesium 137 isotope dating. Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations in the involved sediment cores ranged from non-detected (ND) to 11.39 ng/g. The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ranged from ND to 2075.20 ng/g and peaked in the 1970s owing to natural, agricultural and human activities. Further, phthalate esters (PAEs) and heavy metals (HMs) were detected at concentrations ranging from ND to 589.2 ng/g and 12.10–93.67 μg/g, respectively, with highest values recorded in the 1980s owing to rapid industrialisation and insufficient management during China's early reform and development stages. PAE and HM concentrations have increased in recent years, suggesting the need to focus on industrial and agricultural activities that have caused this impact. Although current pollutant concentrations in sediments do not pose a risk to the aquatic ecosystem, they should be continuously monitored.
