Bisphenol A and other bisphenol analogues including BPS and BPF in surface water samples from Japan, China, Korea and India

• BPA, BPS, and BPF were measured in surface waters in four Asian countries.
• BPA was found at several tens to hundreds of ng/L concentrations.
• BPF was the major bisphenol in rivers and the levels exceeded those of BPA.
• The riverine flux of BPA, BPS, and BPF was calculated for Tokyo Bay.

Concentrations of eight bisphenol analogues (BPs) including BPA, BPS, and BPF were determined in surface waters collected from select rivers in Japan, Korea, China, and India. BPA was found at a concentration in the range of several tens to several hundreds of nanograms per liter in most of the rivers surveyed and some of the highest concentrations (54–1950 ng/L) were found in rivers in Chennai, India. Concentrations of BPF were one to two orders of magnitude higher than those of BPA in river and sea waters collected from Japan, Korea and China, which suggested that BPF is a major contaminant in surface waters in several Southeast Asian countries. BPF concentrations as high as 2850 ng/L were found in the Tamagawa River in Japan. The flux of BPs through riverine discharges into Tokyo Bay was calculated to be approximately 5.5 t per year. Based on the flux estimates and the mass of BPF found in water column and sediment in Tokyo Bay, it was found that BPF degrades faster than BPA in the environment. Elevated concentrations of BPF found in surface waters suggest the need for further studies to determine the fate and toxicity of this compound.

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