Field dissipation of 4-nonylphenol, 4-t-octylphenol, triclosan and bisphenol A following land application of biosolids

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 86; no. 10; pp. 1050 - 1058
• Main Authors: Langdon, K.A., Warne, M.St.J., Smernik, R.J., Shareef, A., Kookana, R.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: 4-nonylphenol; 4-t-octylphenol; Applied sciences; Benzhydryl Compounds; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and physicochemical properties of pollutants. Interaction in the soil; Biosolids; Bisphenol A; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Field dissipation; Models, Chemical; Other industrial wastes. Sewage sludge; Phenols - analysis; Phenols - chemistry; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; South Australia; Triclosan; Triclosan - analysis; Triclosan - chemistry; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastes; Australia; Oceania; South Australia; Bisphenol A; Field dissipation; Triclosan; 4-nonylphenol; Biosolids; 4-t-octylphenol; Pollutant behavior; Endocrine disruptor; Soil pollution; Sewage sludge; Organic chlorine compounds; Sustainable development; Antimicrobial agent; Waste management; Persistence; Amendment; Upgrading; Waste reuse; Phenols; Poison; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.11.057

► Concentrations of 4-nonylphenol, 4-t-octylphenol and bisphenol A decreased. ► Concentrations of triclosan showed no marked decrease. ► Significant concentrations of all compounds remained at the end of the field trial. ► Rates of dissipation were considerably longer in the field than in the laboratory. ► Patterns of dissipation varied between the field and the laboratory.
The persistence of contaminants entering the environment through land application of biosolids needs to be understood to assess the potential risks associated. This study used two biosolids treatments to examine the dissipation of four organic compounds: 4-nonylphenol, 4-t-octylphenol, bisphenol A and triclosan, under field conditions in South Australia. The pattern of dissipation was assessed to determine if a first-order or a biphasic model better described the data. The field dissipation data was compared to previously obtained laboratory degradation data. The concentrations of 4-nonylphenol, 4-t-octylphenol and bisphenol A decreased during the field study, whereas the concentration of triclosan showed no marked decrease. The time taken for 50% of the initial concentration of the compounds in the two biosolids to dissipate (DT50), based on a first-order model, was 257 and 248d for 4-nonylphenol, 231 and 75d for 4-t-octylphenol and 289 and 43d for bisphenol A. These field DT50 values were 10- to 20-times longer for 4-nonylphenol and 4-t-octylphenol and 2.5-times longer for bisphenol A than DT50 values determined in the laboratory. A DT50 value could not be determined for triclosan as this compound showed no marked decrease in concentration. The biphasic model provided a significantly improved fit to the 4-t-octylphenol data in both biosolids treatments, however, for 4-nonylphenol and bisphenol A it only improved the fit for one treatment. This study shows that the use of laboratory experiments to predict field persistence of compounds in biosolids amended soils may greatly overestimate degradation rates and inaccurately predict patterns of dissipation.