GC–MS determination of bisphenol A and alkylphenol ethoxylates in river water from India and their ecotoxicological risk assessment

•First study to report bisphenol A, nonylphenol and octylphenol in Indian rivers.•Nonylphenol was detected at high concentration (µg/L) in a few locations.•Detection of these emerging chemicals indicates improper/no treatment of wastewaters.•Hazard quotient analyses indicate that phenolic compounds are likely to cause toxicity to resident aquatic organisms.•Bisphenol A and nonylphenol levels were within the tolerable daily intake limit.

Water samples from three rivers in southern India were analyzed for octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol (NP), and bisphenol A (BPA) residues by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The concentrations of OP, NP and BPA ranged from ND (not detected) to 16.3 ng/L, ND to 2200 ng/L, and 2.8 to 136 ng/L with detection frequencies of 96%, 66% and 100%, respectively. All three rivers showed a similar distribution pattern of NP⪢BPA>OP, however, the Kaveri river had elevated levels. The phenolic compounds in rivers are expected to cause potential toxicity to aquatic organism including crustaceans, molluscs, insects and fish. In respect to aquatic risk assessment, NP showed a greater hazard quotient (HQ) than did OP and BPA, and the highest HQ (62) was observed for fish in the Kaveri river. The backwater and estuarine NP levels may pose a risk to larvae of oysters and barnacles. Based on tolerable daily intake and reference dose, BPA and NP levels are considered safe for humans. However, NP levels in some water samples were greater than the drinking water safety limit (0.5 µg/L). This is the first report on phenolic compounds and their associated aquatic risks in Indian rivers.

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