Presence, deposition flux and mass burden of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from Mehmood Booti Drain sediments, Lahore

•First regional study in Pakistan that provides the burial fluxes of POPs received from waste dumping sites in drain sediments.•Upstream sampling sites adjacent to Waste Dumping Site were more polluted with POPs.•Recent input of the DDT in the area suggested its illegal use.•Aroclor technical mixture was observed in case of PCBs, while penta-BDE mixture was observed in case of PBDEs.•Mass burdens and estimated fluxes indicated the sedimentary POPs pollution loads that enters into the River Ravi.

This study was conducted with the aim of analyzing persistent organic pollutants i.e., PCBs, PBDEs, DPs and OCPs for sediment samples collected from Mehmood Booti Drain, Lahore, Pakistan that receives higher pollution loads from adjacent waste dumping site. Levels of ∑PCBs, ∑PBDEs, ∑DPs and ∑OCPs ranged between 5.9–62, 0.36–1.32, n.d.–0.02 and 0.96–18.07 ng g−1, respectively. These levels were found to be comparable with other studies of local or global origin. Composition, spatial distribution and source profile indicated that Mehmood Booti waste dumping site was the major input source for sedimentary POPs pollution. The highest POPs deposition flux and mass inventory was attributed to PCBs and OCPs. Deposition flux indicated the input of 6E−04, 5E−05, 9E−07 and 4E−04  t/yr of PCBs, PBDEs, DPs and OCPs into the Mehmood Booti Drain sediments which ultimately discharge into the River Ravi. Mass inventories suggested 1E−02, 3E−04, 7E−06 and 3E−03 metric tons PCBs, PBDEs, DPs and OCPs burden, respectively in the Mehmood Booti Drain sediments.