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Temporal Trends of Triclosan Contamination in Dated Sediment Cores from Four Urbanized Estuaries: Evidence of Preservation and Accumulation
Citation:
CANTWELL, M. G., B. A. Wilson, J. Zhu, J. W. King, G. T. Wallace, J. P. Smith, C. R. Olsen, AND R. M. BURGESS. Temporal Trends of Triclosan Contamination in Dated Sediment Cores from Four Urbanized Estuaries: Evidence of Preservation and Accumulation. CHEMOSPHERE. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 78(4):347-352, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
Triclosan is an antibacterial compound used in the formulation of a wide range of consumer and personal care products, with little known about its fate and effects, particularly in estuarine environments. The purpose of this research was to reconstruct the temporal and spatial distribution of Triclosan in urbanized estuaries located on the Atlantic Coast of the United States. The information in this article will be used by scientists and regulators involved with assessing the risk associated with the use of Triclosan and other chemicals used in consumer products which enter the environment following use.
Description:
Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent added to a wide array of consumer goods and personal care products. Through its use, it is introduced into municipal sewer systems where it is only partially removed during wastewater treatment with the balance entering receiving waters via effluent discharge. Currently, the fate and effects of triclosan are poorly understood, particularly in estuarine environments. In this study, triclosan was measured in dated sediment cores from four urbanized estuaries in order to reconstruct temporal trends of accumulation. Measurable concentrations of triclosan first appeared in each of the sediment cores near 1964, which corresponds with the US patent issuance date of triclosan. The presence of triclosan at each of the study sites at or near the patent date indicates that long-term preservation is occurring in estuarine sediments. As concentrations of triclosan increase above background, temporal trends at each location are unique, reflecting between site variability. At one site, concentrations climbed to as high as 400 ng g-1, due in part to local, commercial production of triclosan. Results indicate that long-term temporal trends of triclosan in these estuarine sediments do not reflect the reported increasing domestic usage of this compound over time. This observed discrepancy may be due to construction of, and improvements to, domestic wastewater treatment facilities.