UBA measures plasticizers in German rivers

  • UBA measures plasticizers in German rivers
  • UBA measures plasticizers in German rivers
  • UBA measures plasticizers in German rivers
  • Do phthalates and plasticizers exist in German rivers?
  • The aim of this study was to obtain spatial-temporal trends for DEHP and its substitutes in German rivers. We have investigated suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) for the presence of 23 plasticizers, i.e. 17 phthalates and 6 non-phthalates.
  • Do EU regulations protect the aquatic environment from new plasticizers?
  • EU regulations do not sufficiently protect the aquatic environment from new plasticizers. Benefit of monitoring data: environmental trend data can support EU substance risk assessment. Plasticizers are marketed in high volumes and Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is frequently detected in the environment and human populations.
  • Which plasticizers are used in the Mulde River basin?
  • One such exception is SPM from the Mulde, where we detected comparatively high concentrations of TOTM (246 ng/g dw) in 2017. TOTM accounted for 9% of the total plasticizer load at this site, a much higher share than at the other sites. The largely uniform plasticizer profiles in the river basins indicate the widespread substitution of DEHP.
  • Do European phthalates reduce plasticizer levels in the aquatic environment?
  • The European restriction on the use of LMW phthalates is not efficiently reducing the levels of plasticizers in the aquatic environment. We found an increasing number of substitutes in the German part of the three major European rivers Rhine, Danube and Elbe, as well as other waters in Germany.
  • Are plasticizers safe in the freshwater environment?
  • Early warning: new plasticizers are detected in the freshwater environment. Regrettable substitution: Problematic plasticizers replace DEHP and other regulated phthalates. EU regulations do not sufficiently protect the aquatic environment from new plasticizers.
  • Which plasticizer has the highest DEHP concentration in Rehlingen/Saar?
  • By 2017, the DEHP concentration in Rehlingen had dropped to 2080 ng/g dw. Currently, Diisononyl phthalate (DINP) is the plasticizer with the highest levels in the SPM samples (maximum value 4150 ng/g dw in Rehlingen/Saar).

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