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Application of the GREAT-ER model for environmental risk assessment of nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates in China

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Abstract

The environmental risk presented by “down-the-drain” chemicals to receiving rivers in large urban areas has received increasing attention in recent years. Geo-referenced Regional Environmental Assessment Tool for European Rivers (GREAT-ER) is a typical river catchment model that has been specifically developed for the risk assessment of these chemicals and applied in many European rivers. By utilizing the new version of the model, GREAT-ER 3.0, which is the first completely open source software for worldwide application, this study represents the first attempt to conduct an application of GREAT-ER in the Wenyu River of China. Aquatic exposure simulation and an environmental risk assessment of nonylphenol (NP) and its environmental precursor nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) were conducted effectively by GREAT-ER model, since NP is one of typical endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and its environmental precursor NPEOs as a “down-the-drain” chemical are extensively used in China. In the result, the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) of NP and NPEOs in the water of Wenyu River were 538 and 4320 ng/L, respectively, at the regional scale, and 1210 and 8990 ng/L, respectively, at the local scale. From the results profile of the RCR, the combination of high emissions from large STPs with insufficient dilution of the river caused the high RCR. The PECs of NP in the sediment were in the range of 216.8–8218.3 ng/g (dry weight), which was consistent with the available monitoring data. The study showed the worldwide applicability and reliability of GREAT-ER as a river catchment model for the risk assessment of these chemicals and also revealed the general environmental risks presented by NP and NPEOs in the Wenyu River catchment in Beijing due to the extensive use of these chemicals. The results suggest that specific control or treatment measures are probably warranted for these chemicals to reduce their discharge in major cities.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the developers of GREAT-ER model, Dr. Diederik Schowanek from Environmental Stewardship Organization, Procter & Gamble for their valuable encouragement and support for the model application.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Joint Laboratory for Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, People’s Republic of China

    Lai Zhang, Yan Cao, Xuewen Hao & Jianguo Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

    Yongyong Zhang

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  1. Lai Zhang
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  4. Yongyong Zhang
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Correspondence to Jianguo Liu.

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Responsible editor: Michael Matthies

The English in the revised manuscript has been checked again by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English. For a certificate, please see: http://www.textcheck.com/certificate/Jx02ej.

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Zhang, L., Cao, Y., Hao, X. et al. Application of the GREAT-ER model for environmental risk assessment of nonylphenol and nonylphenol ethoxylates in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 18531–18540 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5352-3

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