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The Partitioning of Triclosan between Aqueous and Particulate Phases in the Hudson River Estuary
Citation:
Wilson, B., R. F. Chen, M. G. CANTWELL, A. Gontz, J. Zhu, AND C. R. Olsen. The Partitioning of Triclosan between Aqueous and Particulate Phases in the Hudson River Estuary. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 59(4-7):207-212, (2009).
Impact/Purpose:
The purpose of this research was to assess the effects of the Lower Hudson River Estuary system on the overall concentration and distribution of Triclosan throughout the estuary. Triclosan is an antibacterial compound used in the formulation of a wide range of consumer and personal care products. Triclosan’s primary route of entry to the environment is through domestic wastewater treatment plant discharges. Triclosan has been identified as a contaminant of emerging concern, with little known about its fate and effects, particularly in estuarine environments. The Lower Hudson River Estuary is impacted by anthropogenic activities, particularly sewage treatment plant effluents. It is similar to many urban harbors which act as receiving waters for municipal waste; and therefore, it was chosen as a representative harbor. The results of this research present new information on the processes controlling the concentration and distribution of Triclosan in estuarine waters. The information in this article will be useful for 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:
The distribution of Triclosan within the Hudson River Estuary can be explained by a balance among the overall effluent inputs from municipal sewage treatment facilities, dilution of Triclosan concentrations in the water column with freshwater and seawater inputs, removal of Triclosan from the water column by adsorption to particles, and loss to photodegradation. This study shows that an average water column concentration of 3 ± 2 ng/l (in the lower Hudson River Estuary) is consistent with an estimate for dilution of average wastewater concentrations with seawater and calculated rates of adsorption of Triclosan to particles. An average Triclosan sediment concentration of 26 ± 11 ng/g would be in equilibrium with the overlying water column if Triclosan has a particle-to-water partitioning coefficient of kd 104, consistent with laboratory estimates.