The Ecological Risk Assessment of PPCPs Based on Different Endpoints in Urban Rivers from the Pearl River

Abstract

With rapid development of the cities along the Pearl River, the ecological system of urban rivers is being threatened by pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). In this study, the distribution of four common PPCPs triclocarban, diclofenac, ibuprofen and triclosan was summarized from literatures and the ecological risk of the PPCPs in surface water of urban rivers from the Pearl River was evaluated based on six different endpoints. Among these PPCPs, ibuprofen was the most predominant compound with the highest concentration of 1417 ng/L, and triclocarban had the lowest PNECs of 2.4 ng/L derived from reproduction toxic data. Additionally, PNECs of diclofenac and triclocarban derived from reproduction toxic data were lower than those derived from other effects, while the PNECs of ibuprofen and triclosan derived from biochemical toxic data (endocrine disruption effect) were lower than those derived from other effects. All the PPCPs exhibited high risk on certain effects, especially for triclocarban exhibited high ecological risk on cellular, growth, mortality and reproduction of aquatic life. The results demonstrated that triclocarban, diclofenac, ibuprofen and triclosan had adverse effects on aquatic life in the Pearl River and actions needed to be taken for PPCPs, especially for triclocarban.