Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates in River Water, Drinking Water,and Fish Tissues in the Area of Chongqing, China

Little attention has been paid to the estrogenic-like compounds, such as 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and its potential precursor nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), in China although its usage is huge. Water samples and corresponding drinking water samples were seasonally collected at five sites of each of the two main rivers in Chongqing Area. Individual nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) and 4-NP in the Changjiang River and Jialingjiang River were detected by normal-phase liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results indicated that of the five sampling points in the two rivers, NPEOs were the dominant pollutant in April and December with the similar distribution profile, and total NPEOs with different ethylene oxide lengths were 6.9–97.6 g/L in April and 2.5–52.7 g/L in December. However, NP was the dominant pollutant in July with a concentration of 1.7–7.3 g/L. Corresponding drinking water samples derived from river water as source suggested that the conventional water treatment process used in the five waterworks could remove NPEOs from the source water with high removal efficiency (>99%). The 4-NP removal efficiency, however, varied in a range of 62% to 95%, leaving a significantly high concentration of NP (0.1 to 2.7 g/L) in drinking water in July. Fish samples taken in December 2000 contained 4-NP of 1.9g/g and NPEOs of 0.4–48.3g/g, with the highest concentration level found in liver.